FABRIC BOX

 

 I don't know about you, but there are times that I need

a brake from working on a huge project.

Yesterday was one of those days.  I had been spending

the day quilting a quilt - which is now finished.

My mind needed something different to do.

 

I had found the instructions for the fabric box online

and saved the link to do it at another time.

The other time was yesterday. 

 

Let's get started.

 

You will need:

2 fabric squares - I used 12-inch squares

Batting a little bit larger than the squares

4 coordinating buttons

 

Layer the fabric, right sides together, on top of the batting.

 

Sew a 1/4" seam around the perimeter, leaving an opening on one side

Trim off the excess batting.

Turn the right side out.  I used the wooden pick

to make the corners better.  Press.

Top stitch close to the edge, closing the opening as you go.

I sewed in concentric circles and this is what I came up with.

Fold the quilted square in half, right side in.

I marked a 2" triangle in the corners.

I should have made it instead 2.5" or 3" instead.



Do that on all four corners and you will

end up with your basket looking like this.

Turn your basket inside out.

Fold the points down and pin it.



Sew your buttons.

Tack down the inside flaps.

 

Now fill your fabric basket with whatever you want.

I put ribbons in mine.

 

Thank you Seaside Stitches for the inspiration.





AMERICAN HOMESTEAD

Me and the author.

 

It is official, my friend, Ellen Murphy, is a published author!

She has published a quilt book with quilts that she has designed.

The theme of her book is the different styles of houses.

She took that idea and designed different quilts based on the houses.

The directions for each of the patterns are easy to follow with color diagrams.

Each pattern has a house that inspired Ellen to design.

 

This past Saturday, March 22, 2014, there was

a Quilt Seminar at the local 4-H Fairgrounds.

Ellen was one of the guest speakers.

She shared how, as a little girl, she always had a love for art.

She showed us an old pamphlet that her mom gave

her when she was little and it was about the different needlepoint stitches.

Ellen shared how she learned to quilt and started designing her own patterns.

Many ladies bought her book and she autographed them - including mine!

 

Congratulations Ellen, may you continue succeeding!

  

Her grandmother's needlepoint.

Ellen's very first quilt that she designed.

She made it for her kids and it has been loved on.

 

Her book hot of the press!

 

Busy signing books for the ladies that bought her book.

 

 Her quilts that are shown in her book.

 



INDIANAPOLIS FLOWER AND PATIO SHOW

Last week I had the opportunity to go to the

Indianapolis Flower and Patio Show.

After the kind of winter we've had,

I needed to see beautiful flowers and ideas for my yard.

It was absolutely heavenly being there.

There was a lot of ideas that were expensive

and others that were not expensive to do.

Now to choose which ones I would like to do here.

 

 I bought seeds from an heirloom seed collector from Ohio.

 

 

 Unique way for using a piano.

 

 Just for my Harley friends.

 

 I would love to do this to my back porch but I can't convince my husband of it.

 

 I fell in love with chicken coop.  It's small enough

for my yard and protected.  Now to just convince

my husband of this.

 

These Greyhounds are rescue dogs.

They were awesome!

 

As I was walking around the displays, I kept seeing

this fluttering butterflies and hummingbirds.

I had finally found the place that was selling them

with the intention of buying a couple.

That is until she told me the price and I changed my mind.

I did find them on Ebay for a whole lot less.

They are solar powered butterflies and I will get a couples now.

 I've always wanted a greenhouse and I saw this one.

It's just the right size and will fit perfectly in my yard.

Now to convince my husband I need it.

 

 After a long hard day working in the garden,

what better way to end it than sitting in front

of an outdoor fireplace.  Oh honey . . .