scrappy charm coasters

These are quick and easy and great for those left over charm squares.
I admit these were needed as I seem to have coffee cups & water glasses breeding in my office/sewing room.

 9- 5 in charm squares will make 4 coasters

 cut all in half

 arrange three piles of three halves

 sew together

 cut in half again

 arrange into 9 patch

 sew together

 I arranged each one differently

 cut batting to size and backing an inch bigger on all sides

quilt as desired and use backing as binding

linking to
 Freemotion on the River Linky Party Tuesday
Fresh Squeezed Fabrics Show & Tell Tuesday
Quilt Story Fabric Tuesday

Tasty Tuesday~ Infused Olive Oil

This past holiday season I gifted these Infused Olive Oils.

 They are pretty easy & quick to work up.

If gifting I prep them about a week prior so they can infuse and marry and be ready to use the day of gifting.

You will need:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
empty glass jars (I recycle syrup jars)
jar lids or corks
whole peppercorn
fresh garlic
fresh rosemary
pot
funnel

 

(I apologize~ I cannot get this picture to turn properly)

 

 I measure oil in jar stopping at the bottom of funnel- I did this three times for three jars worth.

I then pour all oil in pot and cook on low just until it ripples then I turn it off.

As oil is heating I add the peppercorns (10-12), garlic (2-4 cloves sliced in half) & rosemary (2-3 sprigs) to each jar.

I slowly fill jars with oil again, some bubbling may occur, let oil sit and top off the jars in a few minutes if needed.

 Once cooled to room temp, cork or screw on jar lid. Store in cabinet for about a week.

 If using at home you can refill with oil one more time before having to discard the herbs, just fill when oil gets to garlic and store for a week again.

We make these for ourselves often. We top off a salad with it, fry an egg in it, sprinkle some onto tomatoes & cucumbers, even dribble some onto grilled chicken. Options are endless.

linking to Yesterfood  Treasure Box Tuesday

NICU Quilts (mini's)

I'm sewing along with Hopeful Threads & Sew BitterSweet Designs this month

I finished up two minis to send along. I used this XO tutorial as my inspiration for these two.

The girl one finished in at 30x30 and is made from 1/2 a jelly roll.

The boy one finished in at 22x22 and I started with 6.5 cuts.

Linking up to

Linky Tuesday

Candy corn :D

Yesterday I happened upon this fun post
http://www.conniekresin.com/2011/09/candy-corn-centerpiece-tutorial.html
I just had to try my hand at my own version.
I pulled charm squares in yellow, orange & white ( 4 of each) I then sliced them in half so they were 2.5x5, then sewed them into 8 pieces, then cut into triangles 5x6. I then cut 1.5 by wof of my ghost print ( black would be great too) I followed suit like in the tutorial, I pieced 4 and 4 then 1 long strip right down the middle to connect the two.

So quick and easy, love it!

Framed Fairies

Just a few days ago my friend Melissa @ Sew BitterSweet Designs launched her new pattern All Framed Up and I jumped at it. 

I fell in love with this when she debuted it as a block and was hoping she'd make a quilt pattern out of it.

For my quilt I used fabrics from my stash.

Alphabet Fairies. Flower Fairies by Michael
Miller, the green was left over from another project from last fall, the background fabric with dandelions is a piece of Japanese cotton my mom brought back for me, the back is a natural cream.

This took me a few nights to work on but it went together quickly.

 I played a bit by adding in the corner pieces to the back as well as trying out different quilting stitches my machine offers. For the binding I used my backing a tutorial Melissa offers.

I am so happy with MY quilt! 

Yes MINE, this lovely lady with take center stage on my couch.

If you ever make anything that Melissa offers stop on by the Sew BitterSweet Designs Flickr group, I'd love to see your creations.

Play mat

All settled in our new home~

I pulled out a UFO last night.......

I'm loving it- while I pick at the things I'll do different next time.

I used a layer cake of Everlastings by Sandy Gervais for moda 

paired with a brown I found at my local quilt shop 

Cathedral window play mat

 

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