Binding Video

I'm checking to see if the binding video came into the blog for your viewing as it should.  If you are signed up for my blog to automatically receive it in your email... I'm not sure if the video will be attached in the body of the message.  Mine was not!

So... to view the video you must go directly to the blog.  www.oldegreencupboard.blogspot.com.

Click on the video picture and enjoy!  You'll be so happy you did!  What a great way to end your binding...!

Happy Sewing.

Gloria

Look what I made!!!

Hi Everyone!

Well... I'm on a roll with these wonderful cloth envelopes!  Look... I wanted to make some "sheep" designs so I could have them ready to sell in my friend's little shop at her retreat!

Kiss Rug Hooking - Katie Puckett holds a rug hooking retreat each January here in Jacksonville where she has instructors from all over the US come and teach.  The retreat is 5 glorious days of hooking and FUN!  Read more here:  Off the Ocean Rug Hooking Conference

She always has a little store where gals can buy wool, patterns, etc. and she asks us to help her make cute and fun things to help stock it!  Here is one of my first designs....

So... what do you think?  These envelopes are so wonderful...they are soft on the inside and snap closed.  Perfect for tools, patterns, wool....whatever you want.  I can't wait to make some more!

How are you progressing with your Marcus Fabrics Sew-Along?  Have you been to Red Crinoline Quilts?  This past Friday was Mary Ellen Robison's turn to post her block.  She's 1/2 of the Red Crinoline duo (Paula Barnes),  I adore her block ! This is number 7!  You are on the home stretch!!

Don't forget to visit Red Crinoline's website... they have gorgeous patterns and kits for your pleasure.  
This coming Friday it's time to visit:

 Dolores Smith ~ Homestead Hearth                       www.HomesteadHearth.Blogspot.com

Today... I'm making 120 - 1/2 square triangles to complete the blocks needed for an exchange that I'm doing with 11 of my sewing buddies.  Then I can bag them up... and I'm finished (thanks to my friend Sara!!!    I'll tell you more about that part of the "exchange" later!  

I'm crossing "projects" off my list and it feels sooooooooooooooooooooo good!

Hugs to all!!!      Gloria

Look What I Made!

Good Day To Everyone!

Gosh... I haven't posted since it was my Friday on the Marcus Friends & Companion Sew a Long.... I've been crazy busy... getting things made for door prizes!  Yes... we have another Camp Blanding retreat at the end of this month and I have 100 door prizes to make so we can give them to the attendees!  I've made some cute things... (sure hope they like them) !

Camp Blanding is such a treat.... a room full of women (and sometimes several fellows) sewing their little hearts out.  Well... we're not all sewing... I've seen knitting, rug hooking, cross-stitch, embroidery, basket weaving, doll making, oh yes... and we do quilt too!!!  It's just a wonderful time... I love walking around the room to see what everyone is working on.  I tell myself... "self, just look, do not pick up any more ideas of things to make"... Well!  We all know how good that statement was!

The next thing I know.. I'm writing a list of the things I need to buy for a NEW PROJECT!  This last time... it was all Mary Ellen's Robison's fault! (Thanks a whole bunch Mary Ellen...)  Oh Yes... she had to be sitting right beside me and decided to whip out her 5 pointed English Paper Piecing stars she is making.  (Honestly... I thought I wanted to slap her... hahahahaha!)
Here they are... it's not a very good picture... but you get the idea.  You fussy cut (with a clear plastic template) fabric and they end up into these awesome stars with great patterns on them.

So... for this retreat... I'm going to go around and visit with everyone... but I'm putting blinders on... not looking at their table... only their faces so I WON'T COME HOME WITH ANOTHER PROJECT!  (oh...who in the heck am I kidding.... )

Look what cool idea I had!!  One of the "hookin' gals" (as in RUG hooking) found these great cloth envelopes at Walmart in the Back-To-School section.  They even snap closed.  

I had forgotten all about them until I ran in the store the other day and whipped by the school supplies.  Well... that silly light bulb popped above my head and I had to find them.  OMG!!!  They had tons of them!  I had such a difficult time picking out the pattern and colors I wanted.

Well... here's one that I made with the red/cream pin stripped fabric!

I simply sketched out a bird, leaves, and limb... and did a little applique out of wool.  Then added a binding!  

 I will be making more of these and selling them on my website!  They measure 9" x 13".  I just think they are perfect for so many things... (they have a soft lining) projects... small rulers, hand work... GREAT for gifts for your FRIENDS!  So... keep watching my website and you'll see some soon.

I'm working on different options for you to all choose from.  Don't you just love the little charm in the birdies mouth  "Hand made with LOVE".  

Well... it's time to get busy this morning... I'm going to sew with my buddies and I haven't even packed a thing.  I do think I'll work on a bit of handwork... 

Our fabric is coming along..."Farmhouse Blooms"   I've worked on three different patterns....  take a peak at the first one.... it's called "Buttons & Bows".  I'm going to add a small button to the center of each bow!!  This design (once pieced and quilted) will look VERY FARMHOUSE "worn"... like an old vintage quilt.  (Heather and I made this sample board for Marcus... If they like this design they will show it at the Houston Market! However, if they choose one of my other designs... I can make this into a pattern!  

Vicky and I cannot wait to get our hands on the fabric... it should be arriving late November - early December!  Farmhouse Blooms will ship early in the year (2015) for spring!!

Okay...now I need to get busy!

Let me know what you think of the wool applique envelopes and this pattern!  Your feedback is the best tool I have when designing!

Hugs to all!!

Gloria

Winners...we have WINNERS!

Yes.... we have 3 winners!  Congratulations to all of you that have participated in our Marcus Fabrics "Friends & Companions" SEW-ALONG!!!

Here are the gifts my winners will receive!



5 Fat Quarters from our County Londonderry fabric line... and our Only A Few Hours "Mini" pattern! 










We hope you enjoy them!

Only A Few Hours Mini - KIT

Here are the comments from our winners:

Jeanenne Nielsen said:

I love your block and the whole quilt.  My friend and I want to make the quilt bigger.  Do you have any suggestions on how to best do that?  My email is jeanenne@digis.net.  I think your best tool is the ruler that measures the triangle after it has been sewn to make sure it is the right size.

Thanks Jeanenne for the great comments.... I would recommend you email info@redcrinolinequilts.com and chat with Paula Barnes.  She is the wonderful designer of our Blog Quilt and is the expert at helping you with your size changes.  Thanks for the guess of a "ruler", but that's not it.....

Karen in Breezy Point said:

What a fun block!  I love your baskets too--I've made a couple small ones, but nothing like that cool double handled one!  I'm going to guess that your favorite notions is.... a ruler?!?

Hi Karen.... I'm so glad you LOVE basket blocks too.  They are my absolute favorite.  We just designed this new one - Londonderry Market.  It's inspiration came from an antique one I have hanging in my dining room.  I have a primitive yellow cabinet (one of my doors is open) with it hanging over the door.  The cabinet is filled with antique white ironstone pieces (another love of mine).  You also have guessed a "ruler" as my favorite tool... but that's not correct either!                                              Londonderry Market Kit

Grannie Smith said:

Thank you all so much for this wonderful mystery quilt.  Every block has been unique.  I love them... and I'm keeping up!  My favorite notion is my hexie pincushion in a zinc lid (I bought the kit from Heartspun Quilts - Pam Buda)       Pin Cushion

You are so welcome!  All of us are truly enjoying chatting with each of you and letting you all know a little more about us.  I toooooo love the double handle on the basket!  I have one of Pam's hexie pin cushion in

the zinc lid too!  It's one of my favorites and makes me "smile" and think of Pam every time I'm sewing!  I also have an adorable pin cushion that Paula Barnes (Red Crinoline Quilts) made for me!  It's in my sewing basket so it travels with me where ever I take my "hexie" hand piecing.  Here are some other English Paper Piecing projects I'm working on!

 Lucy Boston Blocks - you can get a starter kit on Red Crinoline's Website  Lucy Boston Kit

Grandmothers Flower Garden
Daiwabo Fabric

Here is my "hexie" quilt that I'm now assembling together...
It's made from Japanese Daiwabo fabric!  I've been collecting this fabric for years and had the hardest time trying to decide what to make.  This pattern is perfect!  I cannot wait until it's finished (hhhmmm... I wonder when that will happen?)

6 Pointed Star

Then.... there are those wonderful six pointed stars that my friend, Mary Ellen Robison (Red Crinoline Quilts) has hooked me on!  All she had to do was show me some she had made and it was all over... can you tell I have no discipline when it comes to new projects?  I'm so bad!!!  When we are all finished we will set them with large plain hexagon blocks!







Then... I can't forget what got all of this English Paper Piecing started!  I'm working on Mrs. Billings Coverlet Quilt!  Oh Yes... I've lost my mind!  I picked up the pattern at market one year and began making all of my border hexies first (5/8").  My colors are blue, browns and blue/white shirtings.  Well... while working on it with my sewing group... everyone was amazed at this fabulous quilt... and before I new it - 5 more have jumped in and are working on their own.

This fabulous quilt was hanging in the booth of Karen Styles - Somerset Patchwork & Quilting!  She's so talented and NOW she is a designer with Marcus Brothers.  Be sure to visit March website and read all about her.   Karen Styles   She also has a GORGEOUS fabric line that will be delivered to the quilt shops in October -Victoria Park

What joy to have this great lady and designer with the Marcus Team!

To all 3 of my winners... don't forget to email me with your name and address so I can send your prizes!  oldgreencupboard@aol.com   Thanks so much for every one's comments... we loved them!  And... happy blogging and sewing.  I can't wait for each of you to see the final quilt on October 3.  We were so fortunate to have one of my quilters here in Jacksonville have the honor of quilting.  Thanks to Cathy and Lynn at Longarm Quilting by Lynn!!   (p.s.  They do mail order quilting also!!)  They quilt for many designers (including Red Crinoline Quilts) and are with the local quilt store here in Jacksonville - Cinnamon's Quilt Shoppe.

Now... here is the answer to my question..."What is my favorite tool/notion to use when quilting?

Can you tell what it is?  A PORCUPINE QUILL!!!  Yes... I use this REAL quill as my stylus... all the time!  They are so strong.... with a really, REALLY sharp point at the dark end and a duller - somewhat larger tip at the white end.  Paula Barnes, Red Crinoline Quilts, gives them to her students when she's teaching... so she too is spreading this great tool throughout the quilting industry.  I even have a smaller one for tiny  projects!  Now...are you wondering where in the heck you can find these?  Well... none other than E-BAY!  (I love ebay, Etsy, Amazon, and Pinterest....)  So... go shopping and be sure you look at the sizes... 5" - 7" work the best...with strong wider centers on the quill!

Have fun visiting the rest of your Marcus's designers and friends.  It's been great visiting with each of you!

Gloria, Vicky and Heather