Napkins and Table Runner - Holly & Reindeer

Using the scraps left over from the napkins, I was able to quickly make up this simple table runner. I'm reasonably pleased with the piecing, but the binding did not go as well as I would have liked. I love my Brother CS-6000i, but for being a "quilting" machine, it sure doesn't like sewing through multiple layers.

Christmas Tree Napkin - Holly & Reindeer

Here's the first iteration of this year's main Christmas sewing project. I'm planning on making several sets for different families, so there will be more pictures forthcoming.

Birthday Banner Tutorial

I decided last minute to participate in a service auction and needed something to donate, so I quickly made another Happy Birthday Banner. I figured I might as well snap a few pictures along the way and write up a tutorial.

I used flannel fabric in two coordinating colors. The squares are each 5 inches tall x 4.5 inches wide. The letters stand about 3 inches tall. I just found an alphabet template online and printed it off on the computer. I mostly chose those dimensions because that's how much yellow fabric I had. There's no reason you couldn't scale things bigger, though I wouldn't probably go any smaller.

After you've cut out your letters, sew them to the front of the opposite color square. I tried to sew about 1/8 of an inch away from the edge using a contrasting colored thread.

Next sew a letter square to a backing square, right sides together, using a quarter inch seam. Leave the entire top open. Clip the corners, and turn the whole thing right side out. Use a pin or stitch ripper to make sure your corners are nice and square.

Top stitch around the three sides to help everything lay flat and add a little extra interest.

I used store bought, pre-folded bias tape to string all the flags together, mostly because I was in a hurry and had it on hand. While it was certainly convenient, I doubt I would use it again for this purpose. I don't think it looks as nice as matching fabric that I cut and folded myself. The tape I had was about 72 inches long. I spaced my flags out evenly, pinned them, and sewed along edge closest to the flags. If I were making my own*, I'd consider making a bit longer.

*while I'm not going to do a tutorial on how to make bias tape, there are lots of good ones online. Just Google bias tape or quilt binding.

And voila!

Happy Birthday Banner

I've loved the idea of a fabric banner ever since my friend Hannah over at Bonne Nouvelle started making them a couple years ago. November and December are big birthday months in our family, so I thought I'd try my hand at one for all the upcoming festivities. It was actually a really fun project, and I finished it in just two afternoons (probably 7 or 8 hours, a large part of which was spent just getting templates for the letters online).

Here's a closer-up shot. The contrasting colored stitching shows up a lot better in person. 

Teriyaki Style Marinade

I went through a home-made yogurt phase a while ago and came to really love using it as a marinade base. This Teriyaki style marinade is one of my favorites. I use it mainly for chicken (mostly because we don't really eat red meat). Typically I cut the chicken in inch cubes, marinade in the fridge for at least an hour, spear it on a skewer, and broil it for about 5 minutes. It's also really great grilled.

1 cup plain yogurt

3 TBS soy sauce

1 garlic clove, minced

1 TBS grated ginger

1 TBS honey

1/4 cup olive oil

Tonight I used this batch on a BBQ chicken pizza, with pineapple and green peppers. Yum!

Duck Burp Cloth/Lovies

I had these burp cloth/lovies all cut out and ready to assemble months ago, but some things came up (like three months of all day morning sickness) and sewing got put on the back burner. I quickly put them together this afternoon and plan to send them off to a dear friend as a belated baby present.

Creation...a new beginning

I started this blog over a year ago, thinking my husband and I could become social bloggers, posting tutorials and product reviews. He hated the original title and was out right off the bat. After only three posts (one copied and pasted from my private blog), I too decided it was an impractical idea for that season in my life and let it go, hoping someday the concept might resurface.

I'm nearly half way through pregnancy #3 and have been feeling a deep desire to create. Quilting is something of a catharsis for me, and while I'm nowhere near an expert, I find solace at the sewing machine. I take pride in clean, organized spaces, and experience joy when presenting my family with a warm, home cooked meal. I'm also a little neurotic and at the moment exceptionally emotional. If I'm not doing everything, I feel like I'm doing nothing. I recently re-read President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk from the October 2008 Relief Society meeting, Happiness, your Heritage. A couple quotes particularly inspired me:

But to what end were we created? We were created with the express purpose and potential of experiencing a fullness of joy. Our birthright - and the purpose of our great voyage on this earth - is to seek and experience eternal happiness. One of the ways we find this is by creating things.

The more you trust and rely upon the Spirit, the greater your capacity to create. That is your opportunity in this life and your destiny in the life to come. Sisters, trust and rely on the Spirit. As you take the normal opportunities of your daily life and create something of beauty and helpfulness, you improve not only the world around you but also the world within you.

 I decided that, despite my propensity to get discouraged and overwhelmed, I can find a way to create every day. President Uchtdorf said, "creation means bringing into existence something that did not exist before." Whether that's a craft or a meal or clean sheets on the bed, I can "identify a space and beautify it." I thought perhaps I'd resurrect this blog as a way to help keep myself accountable. There's something satisfying about finishing a project and posting pictures of it. I have no hopes of becoming popular on the social media scene, but perhaps I can encourage myself and inspire someone else.