Pincushion

I made my first pincushion my sophomore year of college in a Beginners Sewing class. It was our very first project and we picked our fabrics from the leftover stash bin in the class. I never really cared for it took much. That is until I got back into sewing these past two years and finally appreciated it for all it's paper-pieced beauty. I've been wanting to make another out of fabrics that I actually chose. There are plenty of patterns out there, but when I saw this one from the Moda Bake Shop blog, I couldnt wait to make it. You can head on over there for the complete instructions, but I figured I'd show you how I completed it.

I started out with the Moda Charm pack Soire'e (charm packs are pre-cut 5 in. pieces of all the fabrics from the entire line. It's one of the few way's to actually get your hands on every single fabric from one collection. These are great to keep on hand for little projects just like this or for quilting.)
cut four 3in. squares of your favorite prints and four 3in. squares of a complementary fabric (I used inexpensive white muslin.) Cut all the squares along the diagonal to get the triangles. (Only half of my triangles are pictured below.)
match up a print and a solid facing each other and sew a 1/4" seam along the long side of the triangle, then press. (I like to press my seams open.)
decide your layout for the front and back. Sew pairs together then combine them to complete the block.
here are what I have for my top and bottom blocks.
at this point, the original Moda tutorial has you cut a piece of batting the same size of the blocks and quilt it. I dont think this is necessary and skipped it.

Simply lay the blocks facing each other, and stitch around, leaving an opening for stuffing. Turn it right side out and stuff. Hand stitch the hole closed.
At this point you could be done! I added the buttons and yo-yo like the tutorial suggested and am really glad I did. It gives it the perfect little final touch.

Baby Sling

A good friend of mine just had a little baby boy. She also has an adorable almost two year old girl. And this girly is always on the go. So my friend definitely needed an easy way to tote the baby around. I found this adorable Alexander Henry fabric and couldn't pass it up. (Outer is "yoko" and lining is Quilters Only Poppy Passion.)Here I'm sporting my almost two year old in the hip carry positionSince little girly loves to help out so much and do what mommy's doing, she definitely needed one of her own.My little man wasn't the biggest fan, but then again, he definitely doesn't have the "mothering" instinct. He gave his bear a hearty pat, then moved on to another toy and got annoyed with the bear in his way.

There are tons of different tutorials out there for baby slings. I used one by the Domest Divas found here. I cut my fabric out the same size as they suggest in the tutorial, since it was supposed to be a size small. Next time I would definitely take off 3-5in. in length. It seemed quite long, but Im not sure since I dont have a baby to try it out with. (On most sling sizing charts, I wear a small. See the Hotsling sizing chart and how-to video here.)

It was incredibly easy to make and definitely cheaper, even with adding an inner lining of muslin to give some extra strength. I used 2 years of each of the three fabrics, totaling 6 yards, but it's enough to make two adult sized slings.

Finally back!

Well, I am finally home, after being gone for about 3 weeks. I honestly love sewing and creating. The whole time I was gone, I wished I had my machine with me. Like bringing along a book to read...except it's a lot heavier and much larger. So I was so excited today to finally get back to business. I could have worked on something for the shop, but I was really feeling something "quilty" so I gave this project some much need attention. Of course, with my little man running around, I was only able to get two block done during nap time, but it was sooo nice!

This was supposed to be for my mom's 50th birthday in Aug of 2008. She picked out the fabric and quilt pattern while we were on a trip the previous year. We stopped in at cute little quilt shop (Stone Temple Quilts) and all four of us ended up leaving with bags in hand. I purchased mostly patterns and regret not getting a few of the fabrics I drooled over.

I've been working on this quilt for about 2 years now, off and on. I had a little stall in the middle while having a baby and we've had a few other major life changing events also, so it's been a bit neglected. But I am excited to get going on it again. My goal is to complete a block or two a day, or maybe a week! I absolutely love the pattern. I will have to eventually make one for myself too. It is called Cottage Tapestry by Fig Tree Quilts. They've got so many great patterns.Notice the pattern has a flower applique block? And I can't tell you how much I love my 1/4" quilting foot. It makes the piecing go so much faster and more accurately.It has a guide on the right side of the foot that you simple but the fabric edge up to.

Check it out

Jaybird Quilts is having a giveaway.It's an I Spy template kit. That's right, a KIT!! Templates, instructions, and even the fabric (same stuff she used in making the hexagon topper tutorial.) This would be great project for all you sewing newbies out there, and even the not-so-newbies!

Hurry! Giveaway ends Thursday 12midnight EST.

Sewing Machine Meme

June is "Sewing Machine Month" over at Sew, Mama, Sew and they are posting all kinds of info on sewing machines and components (like accessory feet, buttonholes, needles, ect.). They also have a bunch of great giveaways.

I was really excited to see that they are kicking off the month by asking for sewing machine reviews. I've had a few friends lately scoping out new machines and I'd love to see for myself what everybody else out there is using. So I am joining in on the action.

What brand and model do you have? Janome Memory Craft 3000

It is a computerized quilting machine, and has functions specificly needed for quilting, but great to use for all kinds of sewing.  It's pretty heavy duty and able to sew through multiple thick layers of fabric.

How long have you had it? the machine is 9 years old, but I started using it exclusively the for the past 2 years.  

How much does that machine cost? It orginaly cost around $600 but this specific model isnt being made anymore.  There are still a few new ones out there though.  Similar Janome Computerized Quilting machines can be found here.

What types of things do you sew? I sew pretty much everything. The majority of my work is quilting, home dec projects, anything craft related and a small amount of clothing.

How much do you sew? almost everyday

How much wear and tear does the machine get? quite a bit. I dont go easy on it.

Do you like/love/hate your machine? I absolutely love my machine. I couldnt live without it. Once while it was in the shop for a tune-up/cleaning, I tried using my old machine and I just couldnt. I guess you could say Im spoiled now.

What features does your maching have that work well for you? I love the needle up/down button, which allows you to set the needle to always stop in the up or down position. And I couldnt live without the adjustable presser foot pressure.  And some of the extras that I really enjoy are the decorative stitches, built in needle threader, thread cutter, and snap on presser feet.

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine? the only thing would be that all the buttons make little beep when pressed. It's a little loud at night when everyone else is in bed and I'm trying to sneak in a few more hours of sewing. I wish I could adjust the sound level or have an on/off switch.  It's not too bad though.

Would you recommend your machines to others? I would definitely recommend my machine!

If you havent check out Sewing Machine Month over at Sew, Mama, Sew! yet, you definitely should.  If you are new to sewing I recommend the "Feet, Feet, Feet" post.  Even if you arent new to sewing, it's great to be reminded what all the crazy feet are meant for, and even learn something you might not have known.

And the Winner is...

Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway. You all left such wonderful comments. I loved hearing what you thought of my product, and hope that if you didnt win, you'll visit The Zanie Zoo shop and check out my other items.  

Now onto the winner:

#17

Congratulations Marie Ann!!(of Nob Hill Noob)

Please email me at ZanieZoo@gmail.com with your address and I'll get it sent right out to you!

May Giveaway Day

I am so excited to participate in the May Giveaway Day with Sew, Mama, Sew! Here is a peek at the item that could be coming your way.

Diaper and Wipes Case

Comfortably fits a wipes container and 2 large diapers. This case is thicker and more durable than most, because of its inner lining, and keeps its shape even when it’s not filled. It wont get all slouchy and crumpled like others do. Fabric is from Amy Butler's Midwest Modern Fabric Collection. For more details see the shop.

For a chance at taking this beauty home, just leave a comment! I will ship internationally. The winner will be chosen at random. Giveaway will be open until May 31st.