Quick Table Runner

I just got tired of looking at a plain dining room table so yesterday I decided that I would do something quick.  After deciding to do a sew and flip, I began to choose fabrics.  Luckily I had a jelly roll of colors that I like so that limited cutting except for cutting the strips in half.  I auditioned batting cut to the size that I thought I wanted and began sewing and flipping.  The size of my table runner is approximately 17" by 42".  Choose the size you would like and follow the directions below if you want to make a quick table runner.

I started with a plain dining room table . . .

I measured to see how big I wanted my table runner and auditioned a piece of batting to make sure . . .

Now on to choosing fabrics for this project.  This project could go seasonal, scrappy, etc.  Your choice!  I happened to find a jelly roll that I thought would be suitable until spring.

Of course since I had pre-cut strips I used 2-1/2" strips, but you could easily vary the widths, use smaller widths, larger widths, etc.  Again your choice.  My kind of project.

I layed these strips out in the order I wanted to use and cut them in half and made two identical stacks.  I began with the top strip of one stack and removed the identical strip from the other stack.  Now for the sewing.  Lay the strip in the middle of your batting and add another strip from the stack and sew using a 1/4" seam.  Flip and press.  Add the next strip from the same stack, flip, and press until you get this half finished.  Now when you go to the next stack you will notice that the strip matches the one on the other side of the center strip.  For me, that's what I chose to do.  Now continue with the sew, flip, and press until entire batting is covered.  For the size of my table runner I used 23 strips.

Next trim and square up the runner.  For my project, I chose to do a pillowcase back versus binding.  I used muslin and made the backing.  After sewing on the backing, I used a bone folder to push out the corners, pressed the finished table runner, and placed on my dining room table.

Much to my amazement, I had already used some of the strips to make a fabric vase!  For a little over one and a half hours, I filled my empty table with something that I enjoyed doing and love.

The beauty of this project is that you can do it however you wish and without a pattern and using your own imagination.  This is a great project for the beginner and a FUN project for anyone!





Urban Country. . .

Loved the book URBAN country QUILTS by Jeanne Large and Shelley Wicks and published by That Patchwork Place.  Stunning wall hangings, pillows, pillowcases, lap quilts, etc.  I will have to say that Maisy caught my eye almost immediately.  So I decided to take this pattern into a different direction . . .
Telemadeira Fusion which I will explain later on.  In URBAN Country QUILTS Jeanne Large used black flannel for the background and felted wool for the applique.  She fused the applique to the flannel and suggested doing a blanket stitch around the fused pieces either by hand or machine.  You can find her project on Page 38.

I do love to applique by machine;  however, I thought I would take this project into a totally different direction using different media and techniques.  Telemadeira Fusion is a process that I learned from Al ma de la Melena Cox. On her web site, Almaart.com, she explains it this way:

"By bringing together "tela, the Spanish word for fabric, and "madera," the Spanish word for wood, I create a dynamic fusion of elements; "Telamadera Fusion" requires patience, as it can take several weeks for one work to evolve."

This is what I did to complete this project using her technique. . .

I went into my husband's workshop and found a scrap that I thought I could use.  I taped off edges and painted the interior black with just craft paint.  When the paint dried I taped off the interior and painted the edges to appear like a frame.  I chose green (my absolute favorite color) but any color would be just fine.  I went to the book and traced the patterns on the paper side of the fusible.  I then cut out and fused to the wood just as you would with fabric except I used a dry iron.  After the fabric and wood cooled down I began the process of adding the the varnish (I use Matte Varnish by Liquitex).  I allow each layer to dry for at least 8 to 10 hours and apply another coat.  In this case, I applied 10 coats.  It is a lengthy process but well worth the outcome.  And while you are waiting for this process to be completed, you can work on all your other projects!

Here is a picture of my finished project:

As you will see, I drilled holes, added buttons, and threaded wire through the holes and buttons to use for a hanger.  I love buttons, too!

This is a closeup of the flowers.  As you can see, I chose fabric from Jennifer Jangles' line which worked perfectly for me.  (Check out Jennifer on her blog, web site, and Etsy store)  I added some glitter glue to add a little sparkle.  I love this project.  EASY and FUN  to do.

Be sure to check out Alma de la Melena Cox and her tutorials and gallery.  Simply stunning and quite a bit more intricate than my piece.

Whatever you do, just have FUN!!!

Studio Re-model

Been a while since I've had a chance to blog.  For Christmas, my sweet husband gave me the storage solution for my fabric scraps that I needed in my studio to keep me more organized and more creative.  It was really a hassle and messy to pull down "shoe boxes" of scraps for a project and invariably the colors I needed and/or wanted were on the bottom.  This process was a long one but proved to be the best thing I've ever done in my studio.  Below are the "before", "during", and "after" pictures.  A local cabinet maker, Johnny Baker, helped me through this process and built the most beautiful and sturdy storage solution that I could hope for.

BEFORE . . .

 UNLOADING . . . 

INSTALLING . . .

Johnny Baker of Baker Cabinets
Bogart, Georgia

FINALLY FINISHED . . .

We fit in 49 drawers of which I only have 10 left to fill and I am positive that will not take too long. I am so thrilled with the outcome. I really wish you could see in person the BEFORE and the AFTER! It is simply amazing and I want to thank my husband and Johnny for a job well done!!!!!

I had intended to blog sooner but with the holidays fastly approaching I've barely had time for anything.  I do, however, try to make time for a little sewing everyday and recently I decided that we needed Gingerbread Houses.  I came across an article in Quilting Arts Gifts Holiday 2008-2009 magazine by Jane Davilla called Fabric Gingerbread Houses and knew I had to make one.  As it turns out, I made two.  Jane's directions were easy to follow and I had most of the materials on hand.  This project was fun and quick to put together and is "calorie-free".  You simply just get to decorate and enjoy.  My granchildren were amazed and we decided that after Christmas we would make a village.

Jane Davilla is one of my favorite artists and you can find her in Quilting Arts and Cloth Paper Scissors or visit her blog.

Here are the results of my gingerbread houses . . .

I love them!  Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year!  And always have FUN!

A Fabric Forest Christmas...

What about a scrap fabric forest for Christmas 2011??  Well, then check out
Cloth Paper Scissors Gifts Holiday 2011-2012.  Inside there are lots of wonderful ideas and suggestions for making the holidays festive and fun, but what really caught my eye was the Fabric Forest Mixed-Media Topiaries by Cynthia Ann Dubbers.  They are extremely easy, fun to make, and uses up lots of scraps.  Just follow the easy directions and you will have a great tree or trees.  The only thing I did differently was instead of hand fraying, I sewed on  buttons, put my fabric circles in a lingerie bag (or pillowcase), then washed and dryed them.  For me, an instant gratification kind of girl, it was just the trick.  Another nice thing about this project is you probably have everything you need at home except the cone.  Get started and have fun!  This would be a great project to work on with your children (with supervision for the younger ones).  Check out Cynthia's blog crimsonheartstudios.blogspot.com.  You'll love it!

Here is a picture of my finished projects.  I plan on doing many more!

Somestime You Just Gotta Play . . .

I know that there are times when you just have to do something besides clean, cook, pay bills, etc.  I know that I NEED to create something everyday to keep me balanced.  It might be quilting, painting, knitting, cross-stitching, weaving, who knows, I just NEED to be creative.  At the moment my husband and I are busy working on a float for our local Christmas parade.  This float was a wee bit challenging in that it is for a political campaign for our oldest son who is running for Sheriff in our county.  The theme of the parade is "A White Christmas in Watkinsville".  I cannot begin to tell you just how creative we need to get to be able to achieve both Christmas and campaign on our float.  We will try.  After the parade I'll post a picture of our finished product.  I'm sure you'll get a kick out of it.

In the meantime, I thought I'd share with you something that I made for Christmas last year.  It was inspired by a glittery placemat found at a local discount store and from there I came up with a poinsettia applique to finish it off.  I drew off 15 petal shapes for the outer two rows and 8 smaller petals fors the center.  When fusing, I just offset them.  I drew a circle on a scrap of a glitzy gold fabric and cut it out with pinking shears.  I drew off a leaf pattern (mine really look more like holly leaves) and cut out 8.  I used three different reds and accented each row with stitching.  The outer petals I used a straight stitch and sewed around and inside the petals with a red thread.  For the middle row I satin stitched the petals with a red thread also.  For the inside petals I straight stitched them down with a gold metallic thread both on the outside and on the inside giving some texture.  For the center I free- motion stitched with gold thread and painted over the entire circle with gold glitter glue.  I also used the same glitter glue and made random dots on the inner petals.  For the leaves I blanket stitched them down and then used a straight stitch for the veins.  I used red glitter glue for the red berries on the leaves.  For the little vines I used a green thread and did a really small zig zag stitch and at the ends I sewed on red beads.  This was so much fun to create!  I'm thinking about doing a pink and a white poinsettia next.  I will frame this one to hang at Christmas.  I must say that I am so fortunate to have a sweet husband who will special make my frames for me.  All I have to do is paint them. 

This is one of those projects where you just go with your imagination and don't worry about 1/4" seams, reading the pattern, etc.  Just use your Steam 2 Seam and draw your petals and leaves, pick out your fabrics, fuse, and sew.  How easy can that be.  Remember, have FUN!!!

Blogging finally . . .

Hello, my name is Holley Downs and I love reading blogs and now I've made the decision (not easy) to start one of my own.  My favorite thing to do is read books, magazines, and patterns.  I love fiber and color.  I love to touch it and look at it.  When I walk into a quilt shop I feel as though I must have died and gone to heaven.  It is simply eye candy and food for my soul.

I search daily for ideas and inspiration from the books, magazines, etc. that I read for me to try.  For those projects that catch my eye, I love to add my own special twist.  Sometimes I make it different, sometimes I make it better, and sometimes it's perfect just the way it is.

I love fiber and color and cannot believe it took me years to find this out.  When I began quilting five years ago, it opened up my pent up creativity and unleased my imagination.  I find that reading books, magazines, articles, blogs, etc. inspire me to try.  I do believe the most important thing that I've learned is to have fun at whatever you do and enjoy each step of the process!

One of my very favorite techniques is machine applique and I look for any excuse to do some everyday.  I do love the look of needle-turn applique, but for me I am not patient enough for this technique.  I guess you could say I am an instant gratification kind of girl and love trying out all the decorative stitches on my sewing machine.  I find the possibilities to be endless.

This picture of my interpretation of a bucket of sunflowers that I made in August 2010 was taken from the book more! hand applique by machine by Beth Ferrier.  The cover features this bucket of sunflowers and if you see the book and compare with my little quilt you will notice instantly the differences.  I chose to omit the sashings, one butterfly, placement, size, etc.  If you follow by blog, you will find that I rarely follow the patterns and sometimes I don't read the instructions.  I love having the idea and the templates to play with.  Let's face it, the artist has done the hard work . . . I just like to see how far I can go with it.  I also want the piece to be mine; however, always giving the artist credit for his/her inspiration.

Back to Beth Ferrier's book . . . A wonderful book filled with beautiful projects, ideas, templates, information, and easy to follow instructions.  I love sunflowers, applique, hand-dyed fabric (a discussion for another day), so her books were just what I needed.  Her books are worth the money and a great resource to have on your shelf. 

This little wall hanging was so much FUN to create . . . from hand-dying the background fabric, going through my scraps, fusing, appliqueing, quilting, the whole process was extremely FUN!  If you do not machine applique, please try it!  I think you'll fall in love, too.

Be sure to check out Beth's blog . . . applewd.com/blog

Have a great day.  Sew, Create, Imagine, and have Fun!


My ideas are free for your use and I would REALLY appreciate your feedback and comments.