Secret Santa Pt 2

Here is what I received :-)
A quilted table topper ( fits perfectly on my dinning table as its center piece)
2 cup rugs ( that's what I'm calling them) I have one by my computer and one by my sewing machine they hold my cold/hot cups
An ornament and a coffee cup

I'm very pleased with it all

Secret Santa Pt 1

What I sent out-

Over on FB I took part in a Secret Santa Swap. We had a list of items we could choose from, I kinda just kept going once I got started. I started out with the idea of a sewing machine cover, then it got turned into a wall hanging and since I had enough tumblers left over I went ahead and made a mug rug and sewing caddy too.

New sewing space

We needed to flip flop things around here at the home.
I converted one wall of the living room into a mix of office/sewing space and covered up the pointless propane fireplace while at it.

Quilting for kids

This month at Quilting for Kids on Flickr the request is purple & gold with white star and will be gathering in Canada for its final piecing and gifting

Masako doll with a twist

Latest custom w/ I spy blanket

November project

Over at Hopeful Threads this month we were sewing stockings of cheer to collect and give to children's hospitals. Below I'm showing a few, I did sew up a total of 8 all going to be collected here on the west coast.
The bottom stocking in blue and white hexs was actually a block from SewBitterSweetDesigns that I played with and converted into the following.

Custom sissy doll

Here's the latest sissy doll fresh out the sewing room

On the table today

Working on a treat for my niece whose due in a few weeks. Here's a peak. Lots of trimming going on, taking these hst scraps and cutting them down to 1.5in squares o_0

Table runner pt2

I received my part of the table runner swap.
It came with extras too.
I'm very happy with it, it's double sided which is great for extended use. The magazine has great patterns for later projects. There's a FQ bundle of children's prints, I'm thinking child's donation quilt. Then there's 1+ yards of dachshund print just for me. In my bio for the swap I mentioned my fur babies and my great swapee gifted me with personal extras.

Tasty Tuesday

Caprese Burgers with oven roasted veggies

Take the yummy Caprese Salad from the island of Capri, add it to a fresh grilled Burger smear on a touch of Pesto and get ready for Super Yum!

Clean out the fridge- oven roasted veggies
tri colored gourmet potatoes (about 6)
string beans (a hand full)
bell peppers (1/2 of 3 different colors)
mushrooms (about 6)
chop whats needed to make roughly uniform sizes, mix in a bowl with a splash of oil and Italian seasoning, pour onto foil covered cookie sheet, cook on 400 for 30 mins

Slice Mozzarella ball and tomatoes to the same thickness,
clean and pick off a few Basil leaves,
use your favorite Pesto

smear both top and bottom bun with Pesto,
stack burger-cheese-basil-tomato

serve with veggies or not

A few finishes

This past week or so I've been sewing away. Below are some pictures. Items are available now and if still here will go to Holiday Bazaars with me.

First show of the season

I'm here, posting from my booth :-)

Tasty Tuesday

Sesame Pepper Steak

In the mood for Oriental food?

Add this to a side of rice, lo mein noodles, eggrolls even.
Could be used as a fresh homemade taste to some prepackaged sides.

Take out 

Sesame Oil, Soy Sauce, Garlic Powder, Sesame Seeds 

On Med High heat your pan, add in Sesame Oil and Soy Sauce, 

no measuring, just go around the pan (write a Z or M or whatever)

Buy the pre sliced super thin beef (usually theres 3 long wide pieces) for about $5,

stack them and slice them into strips

slice up a green bell pepper

slice up a 1/4 onion

Add to hot pan

sprinkle with garlic powder and sesame seeds

cook until done

This is how the kids ate it, for myself it would be with only rice

* to be gluten free please check that you have the right soy sauce

Office chair makeover

You ever see that fabric that you "must have"? 

Buy it by the yards, then it sits and sits and you never use it.

I figured out a solution.

Office chair makeover 

That's right, with just a few items you can have a new chair in just an hour or so.

Take an old ugly (free in my case) chair, 2 yards of "must have" fabric, a few nails and hammer (or staple gun could work to), scissors, pins, allen wrench (or screwdriver depending on your chair) and the ability to do straight line sewing.

Here's my fabric that has been sitting, I love purple and green! This was gifted to me by my mom but I could not figure out what to do with it.

Here's my free chair from a neighbor


Here's a picture to show the hardware on the arms, super simple, 4 screws each side, no fussing under the seat at all.


This particular chair required an allen wrench
(I keep everything that has ever come in a box of furniture that needs building, so I had a few on hand)
Once you remove the arms the back is also disconnected


I placed the back on a small table, standing it straight up as if it were still attached and ready to be sat in. I then took my fabric, print side facing chair pad, tucked the back under (towards me) about 6 inches


I worked the right side first, with about 3-5 inches available to work with, I tucked and folded the top corner until I liked it, pulled the back side around and pinned it.


I then followed the side crease of the chair pad straight down, pinning along the way, stopping a few inches away from the bottom


Repeat the above to the left side

Once both sides are pinned I then trimmed the piece I tucked under earlier, I left about 3 inches, both on the back that tucked towards me and then tucked the front piece towards the back and trimmed.


Heres the back side all nice and flat, adjust your pins if needed, then pull off the "slip cover"


On to the bottom seat.
I took the remaining fabric and laid it over the seat to measure, I was short on both sides, just a few inches, so I took the trimmings of the top that I had just cut off and placed and pinned along both sides as needed



I didn't get a picture of the sewing but I'm sure you can imagine. I took both the top and bottom and straight stitched along the outside of my pins, trimmed any access fabric, turned the top right side and headed back outside, fabric pieces in tow.

Heres the fun part, no really, I wasn't thinking before I started this project.
I swear we have a staple gun..... oh where oh where can it be........
If you have one, great! These next steps will fly right by.
If not, well then get to digging for teeny tiny little nails and a hammer.
(see, I said dig and dig is what I did)

just for these little guys


Here is another option, not mandatory at all, but helpful, yes.
Basting spray (my new favorite "tool")
I sprayed the bottom seat before placing the fabric to help stable it while I pulled and tucked and nailed.

see how nice and flat and clean that looks


Time to flip and get to work,
I pulled folded and nailed in the center of each 4 sides


Then at the corners I tucked and folded left and right and nailed them in place, creating this triangle extra piece around the corners


I cut off a few inches


Then tucked and nailed the corners
(yes I know my nails are bent, the under side of the chair did not like me or my nails)


Repeat all 4 bottom seat corners and...wala...



Don't forget to make and puncture the holes for the arms


Back to the top, slip on the cover and adjust the folds around the top corners, making sure the back is flat to



Lay top on its back, tuck the back under and inside

If you have the basting spray, you can spray the top down now for a little stability while nailing the final tucks in


Pull the top down nice and smooth, tuck and fold and place over the bottom tuck, nail in the center



On the two bottom corners I pulled and folded similar to the top corners, not worrying to much because they will be hidden, I didn't even cut off any extra I just tucked it in and nailed


Again make the holes for the screws (I just stuck a pencil in them)


Add your arms back on,
TADA!!!

I most fabulous looking office chair ever, J/K :-P