The Compulsive Quilter

Geranium Festival Recap

2010-05-16T07:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a beautiful day. The sun was shining a little breeze was blowing - it was a great day for a craft show. I was at the Geranium Festival in McDonough, GA with my friend and fellow crafter, Jenn from Two Cute Creations.

We had a great time and met some fascinating people.

It got a little steamy in the afternoon, but the crowds and the kids were out and having a great time!

This was Jenn's first craft show and she did pretty well with her super adorable pillowcase dresses!

My favorite though were her crayon keepers! Any mother will tell you that crayons are hard to keep track of, but these super cute crayon keepers inspire the little ones to put their crayons away!

All in all, the show was worth the effort and hopefully we will be back next year and be on the main street so we can meet even more fabulous people!

Geranium Festival this weekend!

2010-05-14T08:43:00.001-07:00

I will be kicking off the craft show season at the Geranium Festival in McDonough , GA tomorrow. You will find me on Hazelherst St with my good friend Jenn of Two Cute Creations. Come on out and see us!

A week's worth of work

2010-03-21T07:32:00.000-07:00

Well, I have had a few custom orders come through this month.This window seat with matching throw pillows is one of them. It is by far the most detailed and expensive job I have had yet. Of course, any time you start getting into upholstery fabric and foam you are going to spend a lot of money.
Anyway, this is also the first time I have worked with piping. I was a little intimidated by it at first, but I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to work with. I'm thinking I will probably use it more often. I think it would look great on some bags.
The cover for the big cushion turned out to be the easiest part of the whole project. Getting the cover on the cushion was tough. The pillows gave me problems too. See the green fabric? It's gorgeous, but it's a loose woven fabric. Hence, it unravels easily. Hence, you need stabilizer to work with it. Hence, I failed to do so the first go 'round. Hence, every seam I sewed busted. Hence, I had to start all over.
So 2 pillows that shouldn't have taken me more than an hour to do, took me three days. Why 3 days? Well, I had to go and get more fabric. When I finally got the covers made and I went to make the buttons to tuft them, thats when I realized I had bout 2 different sized buttons. So then I had to make another trip to the store...for 2 buttons. Argggg.

It is all finally finished now, and I think it turned out great. I just hope the client likes it.

Now on to the second of two t-shirt quilts.

How to make a new ironing board cover.

2010-03-02T17:20:00.000-08:00

Ironing boards get really gross really easy. All that starch attracts dust and grime like a magnet. Of course, the odd accident with iron-on fusible web or interfacing doesn't help it either. It also doesn't help that an ironing board may turn into a makeshift table that holds juice cups, dirty diapers and the morning cup o' joe.
So, from time to time you may need to think about a new ironing board cover.
Why not make it pretty and make it yourself. It's super easy to do and takes about an hour.

Here's what you need:
2 yards of cotton fabric ( I used a cute pillow ticking I found)
2 yards of 100% cotton low-loft batting ( twin size)
7 feet of ribbon
cotton thread
knitting needle
safety pin

First, fold your fabric lengthwise with right sides together. Then, lay it on top of your cotton batting. Smooth everything down. Next, lay your ironing board on top of the fabric. Measure 4" out from the edges of your ironing board and cut through all the layers. Secure with pins.

Next, sew all the way around the cover with a 1/2" seam, leaving a 6" opening at the bottom. Trim your seam allowances and turn the coverso that the right sides of the fabric are out. Smooth out.

Starting at the bottom, without closing the opening, sew a 1 1/2" casing all the way around the edge of the cover. Make sure to leave the opening open.

Take the ribbon and create a loop and safety pin it together. Slip the knitting needle through the loop. Then use the knitting needle to thread the ribbon through the casing leaving a tail at both ends of the opening.

Place the cover over the ironing board and iron it to smooth out any wrinkles. Then fit over the board and cinch tightly with the ribbon and tie in a knot to secure.

Voila! Enjoy your new cover!

Back in the Saddle again...

2010-02-25T19:27:00.000-08:00

Here's the thing about being a mommy. It doesn't matter weather you have a "real job" or if you stay at home. Your children ( those sweet, angelic, peanut butter covered faces) will consume all of your time and energy. And this is exactly what has happened to me. I'm not complaining. I love it as a matter of fact. I just wanted you to know what was going on.
We have been pre-school shopping. My kids will be 4 this year ( I can't believe it!) and I have been researching preschools like there is no tomorrow.

You would not believe how time- consuming that is.
I have also had several BIG custom orders come my way and I have been trying to get ready for those. Special orders must be made, designs must be drawn out, and the sewing room must be cleaned.
Throw in a family visit and an upcoming craft show and an even more upcoming consignment sale, and you have yourself one busy woman.
But I am back in the saddle. The sewing machine has been oiled, the studio has been cleaned, the scissors have been sharpened and I am back. I'm warming up with a new batch of wristlets,

which will then be followed by a few new purses, and maybe some aprons...I'm not sure on those yet. I am planning on making one of these sweet tee-pees for my kids though.

They are gonna love it!
So, anyway, keep an eye out. I'll be around.

Stewed Chicken

2010-01-28T16:50:00.000-08:00

I just had to show this off. My dear sweet hubby journeyed into JoAnn's by himself with our two 3 year olds and went shopping in there for my birthday. It makes me swoon just thinking about it. But one of the most awesome things he got, besides an extra big roll of batting was Linda Huber and Bonnie Collins' book Chicken Buffet. It is an awesome book with 12 blocks of named after different chicken dishes ( this one is Stewed Chicken!). There is Fried Chicken, Chicken Divan and Chicken a la King, just to name a few. I took a little time today to whip up this pillow. I'm absolutely in love with it and I can't wait to make some more!

Here Kitty Kitty Kitty

2009-12-29T05:26:00.000-08:00

The holiday fiasco is over and I thought now would be a good chance to show you this cute little kitty bed I made for a very loyal patron. Isn't it cute? It's a simple 20" round black and white kitty pillow with the perfect fish on top. Any kitty would love to lounge on this. I nearly slipped some catnip in here for a little extra encouragement for the kitty to lay here.
I also made a matching dog bed for a very big dog. Of course, true to form I forgot to take a picture of the bed with the matching cover on it. But trust me when I tell you it is cute.
Well, thats it for now. I'll be back soon with lots of other cute stuff I'm making.
Oh! By the way, I have finally purchased a domain anme for myself and set up a website. Please visit when you can! JodieMo.com

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T11:45:00.000-08:00

This Christmas season is nearly over and business here at JodieMo Bags has been off the charts ( hence the reason for no new blog posts). I would like to extend my thanks to each and every one of you for following me here at The Compulsive Quilter. May you and your family have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Vintage Zipper Wristlet

2009-10-02T21:19:00.000-07:00

Thank God September is over! I have never been so happy to get a month behind me. I am much more relaxed now and I find that relaxation breeds new ideas in my head.
I have been toying with a wristlet design in my head for a while. And after a quick perusal of my fabric stash I finally found the inspiration I was looking for. My Nannie's stash. My Nannie is 84? 85? I'm not sure, but she is as sharp as a tack and I think I get a lot of my creative urges from her. She owned a dress shop in the 70's and 80's and recently bestowed upon me her very extensive stash. As you might suspect, there was a lot of vintage fabric that should really stay in the past, but there where quite a few yards of some really good stuff too. And since the crappy month of September was not as lucrative as I had hoped, I am really starting to dig through it all. I came across this red and green fabric and this brown polka dot fabric that I thought would be perfect for a little wristlet. I added a few pleats to the brown stripe and put it all together with a zipper. I love it. I think I am going to dig a little deeper into Nannie's stash to see what other treasures are in there.

Spotlight: Sandyland Creations

2009-10-02T14:30:00.000-07:00

Oh Halloween! How I love you! Especially now that I have small children of my own to dress up as I please. I custom ordered these adorable Peter Pan and Tinkerbell outfits for my twins and they turned out great! They are really well made and sturdy and I think my kids will enjoy them for quite a while as dress up clothes.
Oh sure, I could have made them myself, but I'll be the first to tell you that clothes aren't my thing. And by the time I had bought all the stuff and the patterns and fit them to my children, I would have spent the $40 it took to have someone else make them for me.
So if you are in the market for some cute costumes for your kids for Halloween, I highly recommend Sandyland Creations!

The best laid plans...

2009-09-26T17:45:00.000-07:00

Well, just to keep you all updated, the festival that I had been working long and hard for was a complete wash...literally. Saturday was nothing short of a downpour for most of the day. Sunday didn't rain on us but there was rain all around us and that I believe drastically affected the crowds. Add that to the fact that we are in a recession and what you end up with is a whole lot of not much. On the up side I met some great new vendors, learned a lot about tents and their ability to keep you dry ( or not dry in my case), and even met a blog reader! I even got a couple custom orders. So I guess not a complete wash, and I have plenty of stuff for the upcoming Christmas season.
Right now I am concentrating on spending some quality time with my kids who I have been pretty much ignoring for the last 2 weeks before the show, and spending some quality time with my broom and duster who I have also ignored for much longer than 2 weeks. Ta Ta for now! :)

Me and my Pfaff

2009-09-18T13:10:00.000-07:00

Have I told you about my sewing machine? No? You are one of the few. It's a running joke in my family about how much I love my machine. My kids will often say ( with help from the hubby) "Daddy loves Mommy, Ella loves Daddy, Jack loves Thomas ( the Train) and Mommy loves Pfaff!"
I do love my machine. It is a Pfaff 260 and has been passed down to me from my mother who got it from her mother who got it as a gift from my grandfather on Nov. 11, 1961. Actually, I have 2 of them. My Mom bought her own sometime ago, but lucky me ended up with both of them. You really don't get more vintage than this machine. It was the top of the line in home sewing when it came out and I can totally understand why. It is a cast iron casing with all metal gears. I think it is actually classed as a semi-industrial machine and has been used for many years in garment factories.Really, the only thing that has ever been done to it is a belt change ( the first of which came just a couple years ago) and a motor cleaning ( done only last year). You could say this machine is one hell of a workhorse. My grandmother sewed nearly all of my mother's and aunt's clothes on this thing and even made herself a beautiful leather coat.
I do have a few fancy stitches. They are totally reminiscent of the 60's style and I love them. It can also do monogramming and embroidery just don't ask me how. The one thing this machine doesn't come with is a computer program to do all the work for you and I really appreciate that.I once took a beginning sewing class and was totally offended when the lady teaching the class audibly scoffed and snickered when I told her that "my machine doesn't have a automatic buttonhole setting, it's a 1961 Pfaff " I did however fell redeemed when I went to a quilting class ( at a different establishment) and a couple of the ladies in there had their vintage portable Singer machines with them.

It was during these classes that I realized that not having all of those fancy buttons and settings has really taught me how a sewing machine works and has made me a better sewer in the end. So for any of you out there who are looking for your first machine or a workhorse to really knock out some sewing, look around for a good old-fashioned Pfaff. After a good oil and clean, she'll run forever.

Shakerag Festival this Weekend

2009-09-17T12:26:00.000-07:00

4 shoulder Bags
5 large totes
5 quilted purses
4 handbags
3 pleated bags
8 wine bags
7 lunch totes
6 pillows
10 cuffs
12 zip pouches
6 kids' backpacks
15 Halloween and Christmas Gift bags...
I feel like I'm missing something....oh yeah!
YOU!

Hope to see you out at the craft fair this weekend!!! Booth 136!

P.S. Thanks to Jess, my partner in crime, for the great pics of our booth at the Hatch Market a few months ago! ;)

One week to go....

2009-09-12T20:35:00.001-07:00

One week from today is the start of The Shakerag Festival in Peachtree City, only my second craft show. Really, my first busy craft show. The Shakerag Festival is in it's 34th year and always draws a good crowd, so I am really excited.
Therefore, I have really been trying my best to build up some extra inventory and of course everything in the world has happened in the past 3 weeks so now I am really feeling the crunch. So, my poor sewing room has bore the brunt of my creative chaos and I actually had to take an evening and tidy up because anything and everything was getting lost the second I walked through the door.
Some really great perks of that though is that I discovered that the self-induced fabric diet I have been on lately has been paying off since I am pretty much left with only solids and small print fabric ( this means I get to do some major shopping soon! )
I also found all the zippers I have purchased in the past just in time to make pouches and lunch totes.
On the downside, my scrap pile has really gotten out of control. See that trunk under all the fabric? It's full of scraps too. I'm not sure what to do with all of this. And don't say "make a quilt" because I also have 3 quilts in various stages of completion that I haven't been able to work on in months. I'm thinking the big pieces will get organized and all the little stuff will make great beds for the kitties. Maybe they will quit sleeping on my fabric if I make them a bed.
Oh. I also made my own new business cards because I didn't realize I was out until it was too late. I think they aren't too bad for some do-it-yourself cards, but ordering some better ones is definitely in the near future.

So, that's it for now. Maybe my sewing machine has cooled off enough for me to get back to work. I hope to see some of you out at the festival!

I'm all professional and stuff

2009-09-08T15:59:00.000-07:00

SO I made my own tags for my bags today. Don't they look good!? They were really easy to do. I thought they would be great for labeling Christmas and birthday gifts or for using to label all of your kids' stuff for school without using a Sharpie.
All I did was get a roll of cotton twill tape ( which I had laying around and I'm not sure where it came from exactly) and some printable Iron-on transfer sheets. ( Go to an office supply place they are much cheaper than JoAnns or Hobby Lobby). Then I designed my tags on Photoshop ( but Word would do fine). I made them to fit onto my labels. Then I copied my logo many times to make rows on the 8 1/2 x 11 sheet. Make sure you space them far enough apart to cut. Flip the image so it is backwards. Print out the sheet on the transfer paper , cut into rows, then iron onto your twill tape. Voila! Tags! I got about 30 out of a sheet.

A Brand New Me!

2009-09-04T18:51:00.001-07:00

When I first started my Etsy shop in March of last year I started with a whole different line of products, a whole different mindset, and a whole different time schedule. The kids had just turned 2 and they also were still on 2 naps a day and my husband was still working for a company that liked to work him 80 hours a week. I was merely a mom of twins who had just emerged from the fog of early motherhood and found herself in a town with no friends or family, a husband who was never home, and a desire to find something to do besides change diapers and talk to babies all day.
A year and a half ago my grand plan was to make quilts to sell. Beautiful quilts with lots of machine quilting and intricate piecing. I would do little things too to fill in the gaps; coasters, pincushions, placemats, etc. The problem was that I was running out of spare time. The kids had dropped their second nap, my husband had quit his job and was now job-hunting, and I had taken a very part-time job with my neighbor and now friend Jessica who does beautiful wedding photography. I was suddenly busy! Then one day I came across a pattern in a quilting magazine for these cute little grab bags where the handles looped through each other. An hour and a half later I had my first one and by the end of the day I had made 2 more. I had found the perfect craft for me. I could still be intricate and beautiful but on a much smaller scale. I soon swapped my focus from quilts to bags and started watching the sales trickle in. Slowly at first and then more and more. I added my bags to the gift shop of my parents winery ( Thanks Mom!) and just recently participated in my first craft show. Now I find that spare time is again very hard to come by, but not because of my kids, it's because of you! I am busier than I have ever been and it is a wonderful feeling.
So because of all this and because very soon I will be adding some very professional tags to my products and maybe even an actual ".com" address, I am changing the name of my little side business to JodieMo Bags ( thanks for the suggestion Jess!). I think it fits much better with who I am now and I hope you don't mind. Thanks for all the support!

A Beautiful Day!

2009-09-02T09:36:00.000-07:00

Today is one of those rare days when the weather is really nice, the temperature is perfect, and the breeze is softly blowing. It's the kind of day to nap in a hammock. Unless of course you are a kid, the its the perfect day to got to the park. Which we did even though me and the kids aren't exactly healthy right now.
Here are some pics from this morning. I hope your day is as good as mine so far!

Shakerag Festival coming up!

2009-09-01T15:35:00.001-07:00

Right now I am working like a crazed woman getting ready for an upcoming craft fair here in town. The Shakerag Craft Fair in Peachtree City. If you are in the area please come by! The dates are September 19th and 20th! If you need me before then, you can find me in my sewing room.
See you soon!

Drawstring backpack for little ones

2009-08-27T11:59:00.001-07:00

The problem with toddlers who go to school is that it's hard to find backpacks that are their size. I came across this pattern awhile ago in a magazine and I thought it would be perfect for my little ones who go to a Mommy's Day Out program. It's big enough to fit a folder, a change of clothes and a small lunch bag, and small enough for them to carry all by themselves. It's a really simple pattern although a little time consuming. The bag is quilted all over then sewn together with 2 front pockets and drawstrings that double as straps.

I attached the name tag because everything has to have their name on it and because I had a little hinkey in that spot.
Now I just have to make Jack one.

From Vintage PJ's to Button Down Bag

2009-08-14T08:19:00.000-07:00

A few years ago my father-in-law passed away and left us an apartment full of "vintage" things. Among them was a matching pajama set. I would never be caught wearing those PJ's but the fabric was perfect for a bag. So, here it is!

Front Page!

2009-08-13T06:18:00.000-07:00

HEY! The treasury I curated made front page!!!! If you hurry you can see it now!!! Picture coming soon!

Button Down Bag

2009-08-10T10:41:00.000-07:00

Why is it that inspiration always hits at the most awful time? It hit me last night at about 10:30, just as I was ready to climb into bed. The thing about inspiration is that if you don't get up and follow through with it or at least get started then it will all disappear by morning.
So anyway, here it is. My Button Down Bag re-purposed from one of the hubby's old work shirts. It is my new favorite. It's big and roomy and perfect for the woman who has to carry a lot of stuff. Look for it in store soon!!!!

New Treasury!

2009-08-09T18:55:00.000-07:00

I have been trying for weeks to get a treasury. Finally, I scored one. Please go by and check it out and tell me what you think and support these beautiful artists!

Elf Hat

2009-08-05T12:15:00.000-07:00

On a recent trip to the library ( don't you just love the library?) I picked up the new book Bend-the-Rules Sewing by Amy Karol. A very cute book with lots of good ideas in there. The first thing that jumped right out at me is this cute little Elf Hat. Don't you think this will be perfect for winter? The hat that I made would fit my daughter much better than my son, but she was not in a cooperating mood this afternoon. I think you get the idea though. The directions called for using wool felt, but being the quilter that I am I thought some cotton and batting with a lining would do the trick just as well! I think I'll make a few more in different sizes in the near future!

Ah...Sweet Revenge

2009-07-31T04:17:00.000-07:00

I think anyone who has children has sacrificed countless hours of sleep, suffered immeasurable amounts of pain, and generally kept their sanity together with a shoelace. And all of those people would say that it was worth every minute. But even the most saintly of those parents have exacted some kind of revenge for the sacrifices they have made.
That was me yesterday. As I carried my cranky, temperamental children to their room for a much needed late afternoon nap, I cracked my left pinky toe on a monstrous Thomas the Train ride-on. I hobbled to their room, child in hand, screaming in agony. Smiling through the pain, I kissed them and laid them down to sleep. And what thanks did I get but a barrage of demands to try to avoid naptime, " I want Duice, where's Bankie, Oh no Teddy Bear!" I limped around the house gathering all of their demands and laid them at their feet. They were asleep within 5 minutes. 2 hours later, it had come time for them to get up, otherwise they would never go to sleep later. It was like trying to wake the dead. I wiggled and petted them and made soft noises. Nothing. Then I got the camera because they always wake up when I start taking pictures. Even the annoying click of the shutter couldn't rouse them from their slumber. So then I brought out the big guns. I googled "1812 Overture" pointed the computer speakers in their direction and cranked it all the way up. I then watched and laughed as they were jolted out of sleep by the crashing of cymbals and just to top it all off I turned on the vaccum cleaner too. As they stumbled out of their room sucking thumbs, I hobbled away with my broken toe and a smile on my face. Vengeance is mine.

Lunch Bags

2009-07-30T13:08:00.000-07:00

The start of a new school year is just around the corner and I can almost hear the collective sighs of mothers everywhere breathing a prayer of thanks. Because even though we love our children and we love spending time with them, I think most will agree that much more gets done in daily life when they are in school for the majority of the day. Now, my kids aren't in school yet, but we do pay a small fortune to send them to a Mommy's Day Out a couple times a week. Last year was their first year to go and my first experience packing lunches for toddlers. Who knew it could be so time consuming! Especially at 7am before a full cup of coffee. But this year I'm ready and I've designed new lunch bags for them. Here are 3 that I have just finished for a friend of mine. Well, two of them are hers and the other is for sale.
They are washable, insulated and have a zipper to keep everything in! Oh! And they are really cute too.

Hey Mom...

2009-07-22T12:39:00.001-07:00

Look what I made you. :)

Lazy Days of Summer

2009-07-20T11:47:00.000-07:00

I feel horrible. I haven't sewn a stitch in 2 weeks. I have been busy having too much fun with my kids. The weather has been beautiful! Low humidity, warm and lots of sunshine with a soft breeze. The TV hasn't been on in days and nobody seems to notice. I just can't help wanting to frolic in the sunshine.
We had a playdate with a neighbor and friend today. She's older than my kids so she has been a godsend today! I haven't had to entertain anyone. I just sit back, relax, and make hot dogs for everyone. I love a good playdate.
So my friends, I'm sorry I haven't done new work. Maybe it will rain one day soon. :)

Interesting new tool for all you Etsy-ers out there

2009-06-25T14:07:00.000-07:00

I ran across this brand new cool website today just for Etsy Shop owners called Soopsee. It's basically a place for you to put all of your promotional activities and your shop listings onto one website easily. It's SUPER EASY for the html challenged like me. You can go here to visit the site I made in about 30 minutes.

It's free to open an account and only $15 to buy a domain name for the year.

Busy Busy Bee

2009-06-21T18:53:00.000-07:00

Today has been a super productive day. That's what happens when my children actually take a nap. Which is why it's hard for me to give up that naptime. One day son though I am going to have to bite the bullet and let naptime go or my children will stay up until midnight every night.

I did manage to get these 2 bags finished, clean the kitchen, and put a load of laundry in the washer. That load hasn't quite made it to the dryer yet. As a matter of fact I think it has been washed twice now. I did also throw all of the toys back into the playroom only to discover that it is past time for a steam clean...uggg.
All and all though a good day.

Since today is Father's Day, the kids and I greeted my husband with sappy cards and coordinating shirt and tie sets.( I mean what else to you give a Dad on Father's Day.) I would like to wish all the other Dads and Grandads out there a big Happy Father's Day...keep up the good work!

Discount for You!!

2009-06-20T13:46:00.001-07:00

10% off your total purchase

at The Compulsive Quilter! Just enter "CQBLOG" in the message-to-seller box at checkout and I will refund you 10% or your purchase through paypal!

Offer ends July 1st!

Finally!

2009-06-20T12:56:00.001-07:00

Finally! I got some work done. I finally finished this bag and I should have 2 more done by tonight. I also did a little self-portraiture to promote my stuff... I really need to get to the gym.
Anyway, you can find the new bag in store!

How to make a purse from a placemat

2009-06-17T17:19:00.001-07:00

It has been a long time since I've updated this blog, but I'm back now and all is right with the world. I made it back from vacation alive and still married and now I am finally back in the swing of things.
So, a while ago a friend of mine who owns a gift shop asked me to turn a few placemats into purses whenever I got the chance. Now that I have finally got around to doing it I thought it would make a great quick project for anyone. This is a very sturdy bag and would be the perfect gift.

Here's what you will need:
1 quilted place mat
1 matching napkin or 20" square of coordinating fabric
Heavyweight fusible interfacing such as CraftFuse

First fuse the interfacing to the back of the napkin. From that napkin cut 2 - 3" strips of fabric and 1 - 6 x 12 rectangle.

Next, make a pocket. Fold the short sides of the rectangle right sides together and sew 1/4" seam all the way around leaving an opening for turning. Clip the corners and turn. Topstitch the opening closed. Center the pocket on one side of the placemat and topstitch in place.

Then, make the handles. Fold the strips in half lengthwise. Sew closed leaving an opening in the middle for turning. Clip the corners and turn using a knitting needle or something similar. Press handles to flatten everything out and then topstitch all the way around to close the opening and add stability.

Next, pin handles to each short end of the placemat making sure that they are centered and even with the opposite side. For me it was about 2 1/2" in from each side. Then sew a box stitch to attach handles to the bag.

After that, fold the placemat in half so that the right sides are together and the handles meet up. Sew sides together with a 1/4" seam.

Complete bag by boxing the corners. Sew about 1 1/2" inches in for the corners. Turn right side out and enjoy!!!

Giveaway at my other blog

2009-05-13T09:14:00.000-07:00

Just a little FYI, I've got a giveaway going on at my other blog, Eatin on the Cheap. The prize is this cookbook that you see here! So, please stop by and enter to win!

A woman couldn't ask for a better man...

2009-05-13T05:57:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure how I stumbled upon such a wonderful man to marry. Even though he has a hard time taking out the trash and I have a hard time cleaning the kitchen, we have a beautiful relationship that can get us through every temper tantrum and poopy diaper that life throws our way. He even wrote me a public love letter after 5 years of marriage. {sigh}

Hatch Market this weekend!!!

2009-05-07T11:18:00.000-07:00

So this weekend is it! My very first craft show , the Hatch Market, and I think it's going to be a great one. I've temporarily closed the Etsy shop, I've tagged and packed all of the cute purses, bags, quilts, pillows, and more that I have been slaving away on for months, and I've got a fantastic booth setup all planned out. My friend Jessica of Butterbean Babies and I will be sharing a booth together. Booth 19. That's us. Front and center when you walk in.
The Show will be going on May 9th and 10th, Saturday and Sunday, at 232 South 10th Street in Griffin, GA. There's is going to be live music, food, demonstrations and lots of funky cool crafts. You can visit their website for all of the juicy details. The first 250 people will get a swag bag full of great items and discounts. So come early and shop late!!! See you there!

Super Cute Girly Purses

2009-04-30T07:11:00.001-07:00

So, I've made quite a bit of headway for the show and I found a little time to put together some super cute little girl purses. These would be perfect for any girly girl. I think they are going to be a big hit! Hopefully I'll find some time to make a few more. I think the princess crowns are my favorite.

Giveaway at Doobleh-vay

2009-04-29T09:40:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite bloggers, Doobleh-vay, is having a triple giveaway! Go and comment on her blog and you'll be entered to win one of 3 fabulous prizes. If you blog about it on your personal blog, then you will be entered 3 times!!! So what are you waiting for!

Ta Da!!

2009-04-28T13:34:00.000-07:00

Well, the quilt is finally finished. I put the binding on last night and had my beautiful children model it for me this afternoon. Because what's a baby quilt without a couple of babies ( or toddlers). By the way, this is them "tending to seep". Which oddly enough is similar to them actually sleeping.
Enjoy!

Progress

2009-04-25T15:55:00.000-07:00

So, as I have said before, I'm a busy bee. And here is what I have been working on recently. The first picture is 2 of the 7 small handbags that I finished up the other day and the bottom picture is a handful of the key chains that I have also been putting together. My mom gave me a whole bag full of key chain clips and I came up with these to put some free stuff and scraps to good use!

A Crash Course in Free-Motion Machine Quilting

2009-04-21T04:31:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I have posted anything but I'm telling you I have been B-U-S-Y. Besides normal motherly and wifely duties, we have been potty training the twins and I have been running around like a chicken with it's head cut off getting ready for this craft show coming up. I did find out the other day that we have a perfect booth placement!. We will be one of the first booths people see when they walk in the gate! So, if you are here in Georgia, come down and see us at the Hatch Market in Griffin, GA, May 9th and 10th!

Ok, on to machine quilting. I think there is a big stigma around machine quilting. People tend to think it is difficult or requires a fancy machine, when in truth, the machine you already have will probably work and learning to quilt is no more difficult than learning to sew. It just takes practice!

I would like to pose a disclaimer: This is the way that I quilt. There are dozens of different ways to accomplish machine quilting, and some may be better and more elaborate than the way that I do it.

I am also assuming that you already know how to work your machine and that you have basic knowledge on sewing in general.

There are a few special things that you will need in order to get started:

Darning foot for your machine ( and either a darning plate or the ability to drop the feed dogs)
Quilting or Microtex Sharp Needles - size 90/14 or smaller
Quilting Spray Baste ( yes, its a spray adhesive. It washes out and won't harm the quilt not to mention make your life much easier)
Safety Pins
100% Cotton Thread ( get the good stuff!!!!!!!!)
Low Loft batting - I use a 80/20 cotton/polyester blend batting. It doesn't shrink much during washing and won't dull the needle as fast as a polyester batting.
Something to quilt - start small. I recommend just using some fat quarters to practice on before you move on to quilting actual blankets.
Quilting gloves - If you don't want to make the investment right away, I recommend using those yellow kitchen gloves instead of the quilting gloves.
A large sewing extension table or sewing cabinet to work on.

Prep-ing the quilt:
First thing you need to do is make sure that your quilt top and quilt back has been well pressed. Also, throw your batting in the dryer for 10-15 minutes in order to get rid of any wrinkles.Then, find yourself nice large space to spread your quilt out. Lay down the quilt back, right side down, and smooth out any wrinkles and secure so that the fabric stays nice and taut. Following the directions on the can, lightly spray the quilt back with Quilting Spray Baste. Then, starting from the center, lay batting on top of quilt back. Smooth out any wrinkles and adjust accordingly. Then lightly spray batting and then lay quilt top on to batting, being careful to smooth out any wrinkles. If you have a baby quilt size or larger, secure the quilt sandwich with safety pins in order to insure no shifting. Okay! Now we are ready to quilt!

Get your machine ready:
Make a small quilt sandwich in order to adjust tension for your machine.

Put the darning foot on and attach the darning plate and/or drop feed dogs. Set your Stitch Length to "0". Insert your needle and thread your machine. If you are doing a larger piece, make sure you have a couple of full bobbins before you start.

Place your small quilt sandwich in the machine and lower your foot. Don your quilting gloves and get ready!

Free- Motion Quilting:
Your hands should be fairly close to the foot while you work. Start your machine and move the quilt sandwich around ( in no particular pattern right now). Adjust your tension so that neither the top or bottom thread is being pulled too much.
After your tension is adjusted correctly, Slide the quilt sandwich you are working on in the machine and drop your foot. Starting at the edge, run a couple of stitches back and forth on the sandwich to lock the thread in place.
Pull taut and cut the thread tails! Then begin "drawing" a meandering path with your needle. This is called STIPPLING.

Try not to overlap your lines, and try to keep your stitches as even as possible. Don't be afraid to put a little speed on the machine. Go too slow and your stitches will be too long, go too fast and the quilt sandwich will get away from you. Also don't be afraid to stop and adjust your hand placement or turn the quilt around. Just make sure that the needle is DOWN! The quilt should move around fairly easy. If not, make sure that you have bunch up the quilt around the machine so that the weight of the quilt isn't working against you. Also, make sure you are giving the machine some gas. If you are "drawing" faster than your machine is sewing you will create a lot of pull.

When you are done, simply lock the stitches in place , pull the thread tails taut and snip the thread tails!

Basically, that's it. From here on out it just takes lots of practice. Feel free to experiment with different patterns. Another really simple, but effective one, is LOOPS. Simply "draw" loops instead of a meandering line. Variations of this can be hearts, flowers, or even stars! If you would like to see all of this in action, I recommend buying the Patsy Thompson: Fast and Free machine quilting DVD. It's a great tool to get you started!

Good Luck and Have Fun!!!

Tutorial: Girls Dress from Daddy's Shirt

2009-04-08T17:03:00.000-07:00

I found this super cute little girl's dress tutorial over at MADE. I can't wait to make one of these for my little girl! What a great way to use old dress shirts from the hubby or from the thrift store!

Stacked Coins Quilt

2009-03-31T13:41:00.000-07:00

Well the top is finished. Quilting and binding is next!

Back to My Roots

2009-03-26T17:56:00.000-07:00

For some strange reason, whenever I start to feel overwhelmed and crunched for time, I usually completely stop whatever it is I need to be doing and work on something completely irrelevant. For example, right now I should be making bags and purses and cuffs and pouches and placemats ( and so on ) for the upcoming craft show, but instead I am making a baby quilt. I haven't made a quilt in months and I have really been aching to do one. Oh sure, it's "for the craft show" but really not at all the best use of my time. But I just couldn't seem to get it out of my head. And when that happens, ladies and gentleman, I might as well go ahead and do it because any other work I try to do will suffer greatly. The good news is that it shouldn't take me very long to finish and its going to be awesome when its done.

So, let me tell you a little bit about it. It is going to be a simple Stacked Coin Baby Quilt made from 2 charm packs of Moda's Snippets collection and a simple white sashing in between columns. Snippets is a super cute 1930's/40's style collection with bright colors and whimsical design perfectly suited for a baby quilt or summer blanket. I'm totally in love with it.

AND, I L-O-V-E Charm Packs. The cute little 5 inch squares of an entire line of fabric can turn patchwork and quilting into quick work. For this project you just cut the squares in half and sew together 5 rows of 22 "coins" each. It took me about an hour to do that. So much better than trying to do that from yardage.

So, I'll keep you updated on the progress. I might even do a quick tutorial on how to get started machine quilting. Stay tuned...

Save the Date!

2009-03-23T06:43:00.001-07:00

It's official...I'm gonna be at the Hatch Show in Griffen, Ga May 9th and 10th. So, bring your Mom and buy her something nice. See you there!

Inspiration - Nicole Mallalieu

2009-03-23T06:10:00.000-07:00

One of my top sources of inspiration and motivation comes from the designs of Nicole Mallalieu. This Aussie makes gorgeous hats and bags that fuse form and function into one very stylish product. Her patterns are super detailed and easy to follow and are really like taking a sewing class in your own home. So, if you are looking for something fabulous to make, I highly recommend you check out her website and treat yourself to one of the best patterns you'll ever buy. It's absolutely worth the overseas shipping.

OMG!!!

2009-03-21T18:03:00.000-07:00

I am sooooo excited. I was just in a treasury on the Front Page of Etsy! This is so exciting!
Here's the screen shot with my happy little Hooty Bag in the corner! :P

Book: Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross

2009-03-16T11:09:00.000-07:00

Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross is the hot new crafting book on book shelves right now and lucky for me, my Mom bought me a copy ( thanks Mom!).
I have to tell you that this is one of the better sewing books I have seen out there, if not the best. It has great projects that are not only really fun to do, but very useful. For the beginning sewer or the experienced seamstress there are easy and wonderful projects in this book for everyone. You can make yourself a nice big market tote or a pair of new pajama pants. There is even a pop-up tent!!! My favorite so far, is the Everything Tote, but I'm looking forward to trying out the house slippers and the Go Everywhere Shirt Dress. Ahh! So many projects, so little time...

I Love You Too!! Etsy Treasury

2009-03-15T08:14:00.000-07:00

Here's a treasury I made just for those who Heart me on Etsy!

The Rag is back!

2009-03-15T06:36:00.000-07:00

I have seen a lot of rag rugs and rag baskets floating around lately, and I have to say that I am happy they are making their comeback. I vaguely remember my mother and I doing something like this when I was a kid. Potholders I think. After all of the chaos passes with the craft show, I might have to give one of these a try. Goodness knows I have PLENTY of scraps for the job.
Fabric Egg Basket at the Moda Bakeshop

Nose to the Grindstone

2009-03-12T12:48:00.000-07:00

I have been working like a dog. Besides taking care of the kids all day, I am also getting ready for a consignment sale with the Twins Club, trying to fill custom orders and get ready for my very first craft show in May. Not to mention I've also got several photography gigs coming up between now and the craft show too. WHEW! It makes me tired just thinking about it. But I've gotta keep going, I've got to keep my nose to the grindstone. :)

Hello!

2009-03-11T14:44:00.000-07:00

So, here I am starting another blog. This one of course is devoted to the small little side business that I have going called The Compulsive Quilter.
As The Compulsive Quilter, I make lots of handmade products. While my main focus right now is on purses and bags, I also make products for your home. I have been known to make lots of place mats, pillows, purses and baby quilts! My M.O. is machine quilting most of my products, but I don't like to limit myself to only quilting my items. I'm in love with cotton and linen, and I have recently become enamored with heavyweight material like canvas, upholstery, and denim. I am constantly experimenting with new ideas, some work out and some don't.
I think here at The Compulsive Quilter you can expect to see more about the products I make, the places where I find inspiration, and anything else I decide is worth writing about. It is my blog. :)
See you again soon!