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Monday, December 28, 2009

New Kona Bay Fabric & Pattern

We have some new Kona Bay Fabric and a Pattern for a Carrying Case. Please, visit our website. We also have a bunch of new fabric from Moda coming soon.





Friday, December 18, 2009

Is it just me or is everyone swamped?

I love this time of year and I hate it. I truly have a LOVE-HATE relationship with Christmas time. With seven days away, I am still not done.... procrastination is not the best solution. I had told myself that I would get stuff done before Thanksgiving so that Christmas would be a time for enjoyment and relaxation... HA Ha ha what a promise. Just sent Christmas cards yesterday, still have three more Christmas presents to finish sewing, have half of my baking done, (would have more if we would stop eating it ourselves), have a few gifts left to buy... but I have gotten everything mailed out and all have delivered except one... One check mark on a long list!! okay maybe a few more......

For everyone else out there--- you are not alone!! But like all creative people we will make it-- somehow, someway and Christmas will be GREAT!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

projects and dread again....

So I finally got it finished.... okay not yet.. I am debating whether it is worth unpicking again.... this is for a gift I wanted to make for Christmas.... will they notice? Will I be happy that I did not take the time to unpick it for the hundreth time? Hummm....... what a quandary....

So here is a picture... I have decided that this is not my cup o' tea... so this most likely will be the only one...

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

12 Days of Christmas


Aunt Barbara is participating in the 12 Days of Christmas over at Sew Fantastic. She has day 9. So when you get a chance hop on over--- (I think I will visit everyday-- who knows what great surprises there will be!)

Winner of the Ginger Jars Quilt

The winner is Reagan@quilt n quilt things! Congrats on winning the beautiful quilt.

Aunt Barbara did such a wonderful job and I am so very appreciative that she is helping. Isn't she great!! Thanks Barbara and enjoy your quilt Reagan!!

Monday, November 30, 2009

Projects and Dread

So, I started this project and I was all excited about it and then I started working on it and now I dread working on it... So, needless to say I have not finished it, I have forced myself to work on it, but I am not enjoying it.... it has taken more time than anticipated... more unpicking than I had imaged... and so all of my other projects are not started or done. I promised my better half that I would finish my projects before I started new ones unless something besides my attitude towards the project was the cause....say need more fabric etc.... so this time I am stuck finishing it. My mother will be proud, but I am not enjoying it. So this is why all of my plans for new projects are not posted because I am still working on the first.... what a sad story. This is why you have heard so little from me. Hopefully, this week will prove fruitful and I will finish this project (never to make another one) and I will be able to show you what has caused so much dread for something I have loved and then I can move on to christmas projects.

INCHWORM FABRIC'S FIRST DESIGN

I created this logo and my aunt Barb made it into a wall hanging. We both think it would be great as a pillow.

You can find it at Inchworm Fabircs

Friday, November 27, 2009

STILL LOOKING FOR THAT PERFECT GIFT?


This is great for the beginning sewer in your life. Charming by Moda and remember we still have that 10% off going on until December 1st and will get you 10 entries in my aunts quilt giveaway..... Bejeweled Quilts
Hope to see you at Inchworm Fabrics

Friday, November 20, 2009

WINNER OF TOWEL, HOT PAD, AND MUFFIN MIX GIVEAWAY!!!

The winner is Sandi... from A legacy of stitches.

There will be another giveaway so please come back, and thanks for entering!!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

recipes

So sorry, I did not think about how we were going to get recipes.... if you want to attach to your comment that is fine, but I think it would be easier if we use an e-mail address. Only share recipes that you won't mind us sharing with others... my mother-in-law has some family "secret" recipes that she would kill me if I ever shared them.... I will try and post your recipes so everyone can try them.

Please, send recipes to jen.weekes@yahoo.com

As a side note, I made the brown sugar muffins for dinner tonight, they are just so easy and good between the four of us we pretty much ate the whole batch (just a dozen).

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

The Marathon continues....



In honor of the muffin pattern-- towel and pot holder/trivet.... we are giving away a pecan praline pumkin muffin mix from the prepared pantry. Yummy!!! These are so good! I told you that there would be an additional suprise....

So comment on how much you would love this mix.

As an added bonus you can get 4 extra points if send us one of your favorite recipes.



The prepard pantry has a ton of mixes... bread mixes, cookie mixes (my favorite is the caramel pear cookies or the raspberry white chocolate chip cookies) and lots of cooking/baking supplies... Their lava chocolate mini cakes are wonderful! My mouth is watering as I type this... guaranteed you will not be dissappointed with this muffin mix. I'm thinking I should work for them... baked goodies everyday... maybe not such a good idea... for the waist line and hips.... as they say a moment on the lips forever on the hips and as I get older (not that I am that old) I realize how true that statement is.... Carb's are a weakness for me....

This will end with the hot pad and towel giveaway on Friday!










WINNER OF THE HONEY BUN AND TURNOVER!!

Is Jeanne from Luv 2 stitch.

A wonderful thank you to all who entered but rest assured there will be many more opportunites to win in the future.

Jeanne, I need you address.....

Saturday, November 14, 2009

ANOTHER GIVEAWAY AND Recipe for Brown Sugar Muffins





















This muffin applique is for you to use however you wish. My aunt Barbara made the hot pad (she calls it a trivet)....it is bigger than the normal hot pad.

She pleated the bottom to make it look like the baking cups you buy at the store. This hot pad/trivet will be given away on Friday along with the towel that Aunt Barb has on her blog, bejeweled quilts. So go on over and take a look tomorrow, hers will not post until then. Theses will go to one winner.... there might be an addition to this give away.... (don't you just love suprises?)

So a comment gets you one entry
Blogging about it gets you three

An order from inchwormfabrics store will get you 10 and 10 for the quilt.

Like most of you, I have a great love for food. While in College I had a hard time deciding what I wanted to do when I "grew-up". I think many young adults go through the same decision making process. (I think I changed 3 or 4 times) One of my business teacher told me that he wished he had gone into Food Science... what? Food Science what was that? He peaked my curiosity and I looked into Food Science as a major. I thought it would be glorified cooking.... nope that is culinary school.... Food science is actually the science behind why food does what it does.... it sounded interesting... it combined science, math and food... what could be better.....so I changed my major and my school and began to study FOOD everyday... yummy!!! Okay it was not that great, but we did have some really yummy class and some real boring classes... like calculus and physics and organic chemistry.. yes organic chemistry.. not sure how anyone can like that class... but it takes all kinds to make this world "go round" and that is how I made it out of organic chemistry... lots of help. anyway back to the food. I now work in the food industry full time... it is not as glorified as it sounds, but it is fun and it changes everyday.


Long story short (sorry) that is why we decided that we would include food with quilting.... We decided to include recipes from time to time on the blog. I will post recipes and you are invited to send recipes that you want to share... and maybe by this time next year we will have enough for our own quilt bloggers recipe book.


Just a disclaimer... just because I studied food and now I work with food, does not make me a chef or an expert... not even close. I know enough to get myself in trouble and how to ruin a good recipe, but I love food and love trying new recipes.... I do have a habit of modifying recipes... sorry just can't help it....so let's share our passion for food and for quilts and make this a fun holiday season and a fun year.


Here is the first recipe I am going to share... it is one of my kids favorite and it is really quite simple-- In honor of the muffin towel and trivet... we have.....they are slightly dense and very moist.


Brown Sugar Muffins

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla



Cream butter and brown sugar.
Add eggs and beat well (important to beat well here).
Sift dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt) and add to creamed mixture.
Add milk and vanilla and mix well.
Place in greased or paper lined muffin tins.
Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes.
Serve hot with butter and honey.












Thursday, November 12, 2009

Give-Away!!





It is time to add to the GIVE-AWAY Marathon for the Grand Opening of Inch Worm Fabrics. Please, visit us at inchwormfabrics.com, but make sure you get the 10% discount listed below.





The first "small" prize is going to be Moda precuts--- a Swanky Honeybun and a Swanky Turnover by Chez Moi or your choice of 1 yard of fabric from the Store....

Each week we are going to give away a "small" prize until we make it up to the grand prize of that fabulous quilt made by Barb at bejeweledquilts.blogspot.com....

To increase your chances of winning it would be best for you to visit Barb-- to get the rules....

Before you go leave a comment on this site for 1 entry..... Wonder what next week will be???
DON'T FOREGET YOU WILL GET 3 ENTRIES IF YOU BLOG ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY!
Thanks for all of your support!

Monday, November 9, 2009

TIME TO CELEBRATE THE OPENING OF MY ONLINE FABRIC STORE!!!!


During the next few weeks I will be offering a 10% off on all fabric in my store....the code you will need is "ginger". Please stop buy, take a look around and come often for I will be adding more and more fabric on a regular basis and the code will be changing each week as well.
My Aunt Barb is having a Ginger jar quilt giveaway over on her blog, Bejeweled Quilts, in celebration of my online store, go on over and enter yourself in this giveaway. This giveaway will last until Dec. 1st.
The most fun part is that we will be having other items to giveaway during this time so come by often!!!!

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Don't you just love this fabric? Inch worm Fabric sells it....Kona bay...gotta love it.



You start out with a piece of fabric 9" x 14", this can vary as to how big or small you want it.



Notice the time...it is 11:19 a.m. You have your fabric, your zipper (yes this one is bigger than the material...all I had). Then you get your zipper foot.



Right side of the fabric to the right side of the zipper. You sew down the fabric to the end. Do this on both sides.



both sides done.



Now you top stitch both sides. I think the time says 11:25 a.m., you can click and see




Next is the hard part to try and explain...you have your zipper, you will fold the fabric at the zipper down, you can pin this...it looks like you are going to take a small seam across the zipper (use to do this on all four sides but found that you can just fold both sides in and just sew across the zipper down...saves a lot of steps)



Next you are going to take the folded part and turn inward...so you will actually have the zipper and the side fabric....your zipper is folded in two with the zipper in the down direction.



Does this show you any better?



so then you just backstitch and sew all the way down your fabric...this is where I broke my needle so make sure the metal end of the zipper is out of the way...this cost me a minute. Be sure you do the other side the same way. You are wondering why do this? It keeps the end of the zipper from flipping up and getting in the way when you open the bag or close it.



Make a triangle at the bottom, mark and...sew...be sure to backstitch at beginning and ending.
You don't have to do this next part, you can just leave the edges but I like the square edge. So I marked the fabric about 1 1/2 inch across....and sew.... Do the other side the same.



Clip and you are done. Now, I serge my seams...you don't have to, you can just use a zig zag stitch if you want to.




The time says 11:35 a.m. That was sixteen minutes.....it would have been 15 but had broken needle.... You can even get it done faster if you are not stopping and taking pictures every few minutes. So good luck, you have any questions, just email me.


The fabric I used was a canvas. You might want to sandwich and stipple two regular pieces of fabric before cutting to size and sewing...the kona fabric cosmetic case above was stippled...just gives it more strength.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

JAPANESE KNOT BAG

Over at Artfully Ooglebloops, she said that is what these bags are called.

this is the inside



or this could be the inside.....Yes, reversible.


But you can find the pattern over at All People Quilt, and they just call them grab bags.

So....after I made my first one, I thought I would share a few pointers with you to make your first bag go smoothly....so here we go.

Of course, you cut out both inside and out. I like to put pockets in my but this one has no pockets.




Then I mark the side handles only...this is the short side and I have marked it at 4 1/2 inches.


The next is the long side and it is marked at 7 inches. I do this to both lining pieces.



Next, I begin to sew but I leave enough space at the top before I sew to allow for sewing the straps together after it is pulled through. You may want to leave more than the allowance for the seam, this will make it easier when you try to sew the two straps together.


I sew all the way to the mark on the side. I do this to all four sides (only the outside of the strap, never on the inside). So now...you will see how the lining is between the outside fabric and how it is lined up with each other.


..well...you are going to sew all the way around the outside of the bag starting at the marked place on the handles...you will see that you have sewn up to that point, now you will sew from that point around the outside of the bag....



Once that side is done, flip it over and do the lining the saw way.


Now to sew around the inside handles of the bag to the opposite side handles.



Now you are wondering how you are going to pull the bag to the right side....well, in the instructions it says to leave a hole in the bottom of the lining. My friend, Krista came up with pulling the bag through the handle...so you will leave one end (only one) open a litttle more to give you some leeway to pull it through.



Now that you have done that, continue to sew all the way around to the other side.



Turn it over and do the other side.



Now comes the fun part, pulling the bag through.... Now at this point, I realize that I have made a serious mistake....I forgot to clip the curves....but I am thinking...I already have the bag pulled through.... THIS IS MISTAKE #1

Now you are going to sew the handles together....you sew lining to lining and right side of the fabric to the right side. It is as simple as that, and if you left youself enough space from the top of the handle until you made your frist stitch, you should be okay. you do this to both handles.



This is what it should look like....



Now you just top stitch around the outside of the bag and inside of the handles and you are done....EASY!!!


MISTAKE #2NOT GOING BACK AND PULLING THE BAG BACK THROUGH TO THE INSIDE AND CLIP THE CURVES.... Because you get this....oh sure, the bag looks pretty good but it is pulling...if I had clipped the curves it would lay flat and looks ooooo sooooo nice

Monday, October 12, 2009

I just love this!!

I went over to the Moda Bake Shop to see what was "cooking" and what did I find? If you have not see this pattern you must go there.. it's the Plates for your table pattern by Kim Walus... just love it. I did what all good bloggers do and I went to the blog www.bittybitsandpieces.blogspot.com and she is having a give away -- she is giving ONE 13" Dresden Plate Charger (the napkin & napkin ring will not be included). I think I might have to make the Dresden Plate Charge.....


Sunday, October 11, 2009

Gossip about the owner of Inch Worm Fabrics!!!

Well, as some of you know, I am Jennifer's aunt. I love being her aunt. I have no daughters and so my sisters have allowed me to steal their daughters on occasion. But....this post is not about me, it is about Jennifer and her desire to open an online store.

So.....I asked her some questions. Now...before I go on, I have only met Jennifer twice but we chat online and send emails back and forth. We have done a Round Robin together and for someone that has not been quilting long, she has a knack for it!! Her work is amazing and I will tell you what her mother told me a while back "Jennifer is good at everything she does"....how is that possible? I have a sister (actually several) that are awesome and now a niece...how will I ever live up to them????? Okay...I have to remember, this is not about me....this is not about me!!

So...I asked her what made her decide to open a fabric online store (and I quote)

Three reasons: 1) I had a hard time finding fabric--now I can order it
2) Needed an outlet for projects
3) It is something members of my family have only dreamed about
.....lets make those dreams come true.


Then I asked her to tell me something personal about herself and she says:

Work - I work for a food manufacturing company as the quality control/research
manager for 6 years. (she travels alot with this job as well).

Family - I met my husband in college while he was attending Vet school. We have two
children. My extended family is rather large but awesome (she has to say that
because I am writing this article) and many of them are very crafty.
Sometimes I feel like the crafty gene was all used up by the time I
was born( are you kidding me....I can't believe she said that...she has
it oozing from her toes, she is soooo very crafty but a little tooo humble).

Goals- Goal #1: is helping my kids become good contributing individuals
to society.
Two: is to enjoy life.
Three: learn something new
or try something new on a regular basis---atleast once a year.


I asked her what her main objective for her shop was and she said to supply fabric at a reasonable price and to pay for my habit (don't we all wish we could do that).

Then she says "I have always loved food...that is why I work in the food industry, cooking and baking is a way for me to relax, but I needed to find another hobby that did not contribute to a growing waist line. So I tried quilting....made two jean quilts for my kids and they loved them, I loved them, and it was a ton of fun (all it takes is one time....hook...line and sinker).

Then came the nice fabric, at first I thought fabric was fabric (isn't that a shocker for all of us).,, Until my mother introduced me to Kona Bay (oh my gosh...Kona bay...her mom introduced me to that toooo....oh my....okay..not about me).... Oh baby does that fabric feel nice, looks nice, and sews beautifully....and that was the end and a love affair began.....and now she calls herself a fabric snob."

So as you can see, we will see alot of wonderful things coming out of her store, whether it be fabric, recipes (I am hoping for those, maybe low calorie?) or crafts...so stay tuned and be sure to check back often.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Welcome!

I remember my very first quilt... hand appliqued butterflies... it was an adventure that I never forgot. It took 15 years before I ever thought about sewing anything again. I began to look for something to create that I could share with others and my mother and her sisters' were quilting together and-- so I thought why not... that is how it all began. Now we quilt and share together. Hopefully you will enjoy sharing with us.