Finally, the Faux Braid

   This series of posts has been a journey for me.....reviewing some past quilts and braid techniques, and hunting up info to share, and trying to some order into all of it.
Insight:  Developing a class or series like this is not easy....it is work!  So hug a teacher, they deserve it.

Quarter Log Cabin  block

   The Faux Braid is a new favorite now.....I think I could put one together blindfolded.  It works up fast and easy.  So what is it?  Simply the quarter log cabin block....with the variation of how the colors or values are placed.
   Generally or traditionally,  the quarter log cabin block  might look like the photo on the right.  Each round that is added to the starting square is the same fabric/color.
 

  
  This photo shows the change in placement for the Faux Braid using the quarter log cabin block.  Each round contains a light strip and a dark strip.  This arrangement creates a block that is half light and half dark.  Then when set together the blocks create a braid effect.

 
  By rotating the block for the layout, the diagonal bands are formed.  Note.....very little matching to worry with!  
   I call this one the soft version.  The fabrics are low contrast...a very soothing and restful effect for our troubled world.   A nice border and a little applique would finish it off nicely.










         And for the flip side.......a version done in leftover batik strips.  Same pattern, just different fabrics for a different and stronger voice.  This one reminds me of the blue Ridge Mountains that are nearby.

  The original tutorial is from Sharon at Vroomansquilts.    Be sure to say hello when you check it out.

  Based on her tutorial I put together a simple sheet with the construction details.  Click here for the printable PDF for the Faux Braid.  

 

    I had planned to take a side by side photo  for comparison on the deck today, but nature intervened.  It is 37 degrees, and raining here, so I resorted to the front porch again.   I just wanted the contrast of the 2 versions....one soft and the other stronger.  Whatever fabrics you prefer, the Faux Braid will be striking!









  Thanks to all for taking the time to read and comment on this series of posts.  I hope a few of you will try this fun technique, get over your fear, and figure out which one you prefer.    Send me a photo if you dare!
 
   If I am quiet for a few days....don't worry.  I have a lot of stuff to clean up in the sewing room, and  a couple to quilts to work on.  Wishing all a Happy Thanksgiving.  I am thankful this is done..... ;)

Happy stitching.

Create a star instead.....

   I went to continue working on the Faux Braid sheet....and I have misplaced it.  I am sure it is still somewhere in this computer, but where, oh where, did this gal save it?  Never fear, I decided not to panic but throw in this little idea I creatively borrowed (that is stole in real language) from a pin seen from  Etsy.
  This is just a quick sample, making it up as I went, so pardon the lack of precise measurements.

•    Start with a plain square.  I used 3" in this sample.  Next time I would recommend a 3 1/2" square.
•   Add a 2" by 3 1/2" strip to one side.  
•   Add strip number 2---2" by 4".

•   Repeat until you have added 3 rounds to the 2 adjoining sides.  
•   Trim the band unit  like you would for a braid quilt.  I aligned the ruler line so that it goes thru the center points of the square and braid rounds and the cutting edge exactly on the edge of the square.  
•    For the large triangles:  Cut a 5 1/2" square ( or a 6" square if you like to have fudge room to trim).  Cut on the diagonal to get 2 triangles.    Sew a triangle to each side of the band.
•   Square up the sides if needed and square the unit to 7".  Note--- here is where I did my fudging by trimming the inner corner of the prints.    

  Now repeat the whole process until you get 4 blocks.

  Here's the beginning of your braided star.   Click here to see the inspiration quilt.
   If not a large quilt.....how about a Christmas table runner, or set on point for a wall hanging?

  Thanks to Nicki for suggesting I link these posts in the tutorials section for future reference.  I am always forgetting where I explained something and thought this was a great idea....I am working on it now.

  So the finale is the Faux Braid....I promise to get it up next week, even if I have to start from scratch!

Happy stitching.  

Are you brave enough for the braid?

 For the novice or those who live in fear of bias edges:
    Once you have your fabric selected, do some cutting.  I generally cut segments about 6" to 7".......the length you need to start with will really depend on your strip width.  Yes, you will have some tails---and waste---when you trim, but during the sewing process you don't have to contend with the bias.  Note----all the seams are straight easy to sew seams!

  In the photo--top right corner---a square starts you off.  Add a strip to on side.  Then add the second strip to the opposite side.  Repeat...and repeat.

  When the band is the length you want, you need to square it up.  You will need to cut thru the center of the square to get the base.  I chalked the cutting lines in on this sample.

   Tip:  I lined up the point of the square with a line on the ruler.  The points of each segment should fall on that same line.

  You will also find a variation of this that uses an offset center point......the final look is just a bit different because one side of the band has longer strips.  You decide which way you want to go.

  Tip:  I do not cut and trim off the sides until I am ready to either join them together or add the separating strip to the bands.  The less time the bias is "free to grow", the less stretch  I have to worry about.  

   In this photo, you can see the bands are sewn but the sides are not cut yet.  The bands were placed on the design wall until I was happy with the arrangement and had the separator strips prepared.   Once the bands are sewn and cut.....you have bias edges!  Just plan ahead how you will work with them.
 In an email from Lynn at What a Hoot, she shared her tip:

I have spacers between my braids,  so there is a bias against a straight edge on each seam. If I were sewing braid directly to braid, I would definitely press them first with some *serious* starching to help control the double bias seam!

For the very brave......If you are not afraid of bias, hate to waste an inch of fabric, and like to have the pieces cut exactly  to measurement, then read on.
   I ran across a quick video on Youtube that I thought was worth sharing.  From the Missouri Star Quilt comes a quick method of cutting pairs of braid segments using the Binding Tool as a template.   Since you probably have one of these, it's a free template.
  There is a new ruler on the market that is set up to cut pieces for a braid quilt, but I found it $$ and confusing.  So if I wanted a template, I would use the binding tool for sure.

Don't forget the check out the braid quilt examples on the Braid Quilt board on Pinterest.   I added a couple of new ones. I would love to share some of those quilt photos here, but don't want to run into trouble...evil grin...so I just pinned them.   I have mainly used narrow separator strips before.....but I am liking the wider separator bands I lot.

  What else can I say about braid quilts?  Hang on, there is more.  Next post will talk about French Braid Quilts and what makes them different.  Got to finish cutting strips, happy quilting!

Braids on the brain

     Braids on the brain.....braid ideas swirling around and around.  I promised a series of posts to share tips and techniques on braid quilts.  I set up a board on Pinterest for Braid quilts for inspiration and color combos.  And as a place to hold the tutorials that are available on different braid techniques.  So here we go.....

 
  A traditional braid is often called a pioneer braid, or a friendship braid.  The best tutorial for this can be found at Quiltville----of course!  Bonnie Hunter is the Scrap Queen and a braid is the perfect use for scraps. Her tutorial uses 2 1/2" strips and is presented as a border idea, as well as a quilt.  Her tutorial can be printed off from a PDF, too!
   A second choice for a tutorial I found is at Reanna Lily  Designs.   She has an interesting take on how to mix it all up when sewing the strips together.
Either of these tutorials will give you the basics on construction, so I am not going to repeat and make a mess of it.

From Modabakeshop.com

   The photo is "borrowed"---I know I will get into trouble over this, oh well---- from Modabakeshop and is a great visual example of how the braid is formed.   The bands of the braid are formed by adding a strip to one side of a triangle or square, and then adding a second strip to the adjoining side.  By alternating back and forth when you add the strips, a woven appearance happens.  This example uses Amish type colors that are very striking against the purple.

  And this leads to fabric selection.....exactly what do you want to make?  A scrappy version from your over-flowing basket or bin,  a two color version in red and white,  or maybe something  using that batik jelly roll.........what do you have in the stash closet, I promise it will work in a braid quilt.

 
  This is a small table runner I did using the braid technique to frame the center block....and the strips--some were strings--were different widths.  I just kept adding to one side and then the other to finally get the length I wanted.
What made it successful was the color......all blues ranging from dark to light.  







   In my closet there is a huge stash of floral fabrics....so doing a braid with florals a few years ago was a no-brainer.  I love to blend the fabrics so that the values merge and  melt into each other.  This close up photo shows  the multitude of floral fabrics in the wall hanging I made.
   So the first step.....pick your fabrics.  Stick to a color theme, or fabric type, or mix it all up.  That is where you begin.
   Next up will be a quick look at construction....how to really begin.  So is you have any questions....let me know and I can answer it here, too.
  Happy stitching.  

Inspiration for a braid quilt

   Just for inspiration, I set up a new board on Pinterest.....Braid Quilts.   After a simple search,  I found a lot of different colorways, and styles.  (Note that some of them are mislabeled as French Braids when they are really traditional braids set in bands.)   If you have made a braid quilt....I would love to pin it.  Send me a link to your quilt.
   I am working up a series of posts....all on braid quilts.  I am trying to make you a bit curious....evil grin!
But please do send me your links....thanks.
Happy stitching.

On the diagonal

What a difference a cool front makes!  The weather was just perfect yesterday, so Sir Old Man and I tackled the large front bed that looked like a jungle.  Both of us are glad it is now weed free and things are chopped back....at least for a while.



  The postman made a delivery yesterday too.   Three doll quilts from SandyO of the HGTV Message Board.  Sandy is a Mrs. Claus from Michigan  :)   Thank you, Sandy.

  I love the soft colors and simple arrangement of these little blocks.  She used 2 1/2" charm squares to make all three of these.   Look close and you can probably see how she created the diagonal design.

Hint:  Each little charm square is bordered on 2 adjoining sides with a  solid color fabric.  That unit is turned and rotated to create the diagonal layout design.  This is a good /quick /easy pattern to take note of for the future, and would be a great design done with 5" or 6" charms.

 Thanks so much for being a Mrs. Claus.








 My diagonal Faux Braid is now a flimsy.......ready for the borders.   I have been rambling on about this for a while, so I thought I would share a glimpse of what I got accomplished finally.
    Just sewing in short periods of time, it went together really quick.  If I had been running on full power, poof.....it would be completed in a couple of days.






 
 I picked out a periwinkle  color fabric for the inner border and a light tonal print for the outer border.  So sewing  this is my task for this week.  I am having a hard time sitting to sew due to back spasms, so I won't stress myself with a big to-do list.   I think it may be a good time to do some baking instead.

Happy stitching.
    

Faux Braid teaser

 
  I thought I would stir the pot with a little tease on the Faux Braid....my NewFO has begun.    I was in a rush, so pardon the wonky photos.


 Eight blocks--so far-- set side by side for the diagonal layout.










 Or if you prefer..... set on point to create vertical rows.

   I am thinking the diagonal for the florals, but a fall tone in the vertical setting  would be great.

   The tutorial is here.
  Insight:  Be sure to follow the instructions when assembling.
   In other words, do not get distracted by the movie you are watching.  If you switch sides that you need to add strips to during the process, you will be ripping and miss all the car chase scene!  Ask me how I know  ;D.

Another doll quilt arrive.....with instructions!  I will post them tomorrow.......because it's an easy scrappy quilt for "Double Sliced Layer Cake."   Sounds good, doesn't it.
Tonight is the challenge reveal at guild, so I am rushing to get things finished before I go.  Till then, happy stitching.    

Progress for September

   The house is quiet now....company is gone and the laundry is caught up. This week has flown by, yet even so I managed to get a bit done on my September list.
  The Scrappy Trip Around the World is ready to put together...yea!  I will web the rows together and add a simple border to this one.
  What I learned on this one......Follow the plan on pressing the seams.  Bonnie's hints on this make it so easy to get things to match up.








    Between loads of laundry I was cutting up fabric.  Now the cutting is done for the first Faux Braid --my NewFO--using floral fabrics from the stash.   I can't wait to see what they look like.  So some stitching is planned for them over the weekend.  For the instructions to this....click here  for Tutorial at VroomansQuilts. 

  And lastly, I put together a quick doll quilt....or two!   I had a pile of floral units pieced and put them together in a zig-zag pattern.   This is the one for Sydney, the twins sister.

  And more doll quilts arrived in the mail.  I am heading outside to take some photos and post them tomorrow.
Happy stitching.

Catching up again

   Once again, I find myself playing catch up and trying to get back to my plans.  I'm glad I got all the baking done on Thursday,  because I  got a call  from our guild Program VP asking if I could help  fill in the  program for Monday night.  I know how hard it is to arrange programs, so I  agreed.

   That meant I needed to dig out the braid quilts.....oh, yeah, her request was the French Braid...get them washed. One was on the wall, one on the guest bed, and the other packed up till winter.
   I also needed a sample project to demo the piecing technique with....that meant digging out fabric and finding a ruler and rotary cutter.    (My sewing room is in the state of chaos/mess/can't find anything  until the cutting table made by Sir Old Man is brought up from the workshop.)

 I spent about an hour looking for a project box that I had set aside for a future braid project.....no where to be found.  So I raided the stash closet for floral  fabrics---they were the easiest to reach--- instead to make a short runner as a French Braid sample.  

  Luckily this technique is a quick sew project.  The hardest part is picking the fabrics.  I decided to use a different accent for the small squares rather than the large floral that is the starting 6" square.  I actually like this impromptu selection....an unexpected  NewFO for June.

  I had planned to be re-making the Roman shades for the guest room and in the garage......so hopefully that will get done this next week!  




And one more doll quilt!
  This one arrived from Jackie, Mrs. Claus in Iowa.  She is representing Hawaii for the HGTV Message Board group of Mrs. Claus participants.  I apologize for being late in getting this posted.
  I love her creative endeavor on this one.  Scrappy squares are top-stitched down on each larger square. I think the colors are so great and the scattered placement is fun!  Thanks so much for helping.

  One week left of June.....exactly where has this year gone?  I feel like I have been standing still and the escalator is passing me by at 100 mph.  I need to get on and get things done!  Happy stitching.

Strings and watercolor

Is your body clock reset yet?  Am I the only one who struggles with the time change?  It always take me about 5 days to get back to a routine when it happens.  Anyway, I never got around to sharing those questions and answers from last week.  So here is a short recap.

Can you use the gridded interfacing for a larger quilt, like a lap size?  Will it be too bulky or heavy?

  Yes, the gridded interfacing that I use for my wall hangings will work for a larger size too.  It does add a tiny bit of weight but not even to really be noticeable.  It is the same  weight of interfacing used in clothing.   I used a light weight clothing interfacing when I made Wonder of Color that used 2 1/2" squares.  It ended up about 48" by 55", and made the sewing all those squares a breeze.

Where do you get your patterns for your watercolor quilts?
   Out of my head, usually!  Most of the wall hangings focus on a light source and the rest of the quilt goes from there.  I may add applique or thread painting for a focal point.

   For large lap quilts, I usually use a strip piecing technique of some sort.  One example is the braid I used in Through My Wall.  Although this one is only 45" by 45", it could be made much larger by making more of the  braid strips  and making them longer .
   The piecing is a simple braid.  I used all floral fabrics and paid attention to the placement of each one to achieve the blending.  It is the interplay of  fabric  value that makes this appear so different from a normal braid quilt.

   So, watercolor quilts are not really limited to just using the small squares.  Use strips and there are lots of basic quilt patterns that can be adapted to get the look of a watercolor quilt.
   This is my latest watercolor project to use up a pile / huge stack of floral fabric strips.  The idea is adapted from the book, Awash With Color by Judy Turner.  I am using mostly  2" by 6 1/2" strips with a few narrower ones thrown in.  7 or 8 strips will give me a section long enough to trim to a  6" by 10 1/2" block.   Some sections are light, some are dark to medium, others are light to medium, etc.

   This has sort of turned into my "leader/ender" project for sewing between other things.  I have created stacks of the pieces that are sorted by value to be sewn together.  Notice the red plastic viewer beside them.  That is a tool to check for value by eliminating the color.....I view the stack or block thru it and I can then see just the value-- darkness or lightness--of the block.

  This project would work great with string strips of different sizes.....and not just for florals.  Think batiks especially....they would be great done this way.






     And a final question about Faceted Jewels----the quilt in my banner.
  Is there a pattern for the string quilt in your banner?   Will you be making another one?
    No pattern, but I did put the "road map" for coloring your own on the Patterns page.   On the Tutorials page you can find links to my posts about how I made this string quilt.
    Yes, I am planning to work on another string quilt this summer, just because those string baskets are full!  So if you want to sew along, get prepared.  I am thinking in June.
Thanks for the questions.....happy stitching.

Through My Wall

    Time to get some quilting done.....more practice doing the Jester's Hat from this month's challenge.  I had several emails and questions about this one.  So this shot is  a real close up...the motifs are not that huge.  The width of the light fabric band is only 5 1/2", so the swirls are not much larger than a quarter.  Some areas are closer quilted than others.....I do not strive for perfection.  If  I get lost or boxed into a corner, I stop, break thread and start again.  Or add a little meandering in there to get out ---if I can.  And lastly, I listen to music when I do free motion quilting.  It helps keep my rhythm steady.   Breathe and relax....my best tip!

      When I got finished with the quilting and trimmed it all up, I realized I had a wonderful inspiration fabric on the back.  It's a fabric I bought on clearance, and had more orange in it than I like.   I  figured I would use it on the back of something---a busy print hides stitch flaws!   But isolate the motifs in it and what a gold mine of designs.  I grabbed by FMQ sketchbook and drew a few off.  I need to just save a hunk of the fabric too for inspirations.

   And the project.....the floral blended braid, Through My Wall.  It was planned and pieced during this summer after I "hit the wall" with my broken shoulder.   Thank you, Dana, for telling me to get busy piecing.  It was a very nice way to get me to stop whining.  I thought it was appropriate to  quilt it first after so much progress with PT.
  Insight:   If you step into a hole, and break your shoulder, expect it to take 130 days before you can free motion quilt  with no pain!  Lesson learned.
  Happy stitching.  

Borders on

    Borders on and into the stack of projects "to be quilted" it goes.  It may be a couple months before I can do machine quilting,  I need much better control  and strength of the left arm.  
Anyway,  I chose a mottled burgundy fabric for the border to pull out all the reddish tones in the center.  Wish the photo color was better to show this.
   I measured the length in several places before cutting the border strips for the sides......and took the average of 30" for the length.  Using a pencil for marking, I squared up the corners and sides.  The border pieces were lined up with the marked line and sewn.  Then everything was trimmed.  Only one spot has a bit of fullness---at the top---but I believe I can work it in with quilting.

 
   I had a question about doing a braid with a black or burgundy separator strip and how would that look.   So for your comparison, here is a  photo is  Higher Hope that I made a couple of years ago.  It is one of my favorites and is hanging in the sunroom right now.
    It is the same basic braid pattern using
2 1/2" strips---just a scrappier version.  The braid runs are  separated by a black strip about 1 1/2" wide.    Any and all scrap strips were used including some floral fabrics.  They were arranged by value, blending from one dominant color to the next....usually.    Sometimes  it was hard to define/determine the main color of a fabric,  so I just jumped to another color and started again. Rather than refer to this one as a watercolor or a true color wash, it is what I call blended.  
      Not sure what I will pick up next....maybe just some easy piecing of cobblestones from batik leftovers.  I sure I will find a spark of inspiration.  Happy stitching.  

The watercolor braid

  I got back to joining the braid rows, finally.  All 6 braid runs are  together.  You can see the sides still need to be trimmed and squared with the top and bottom.  And the border added to stabilize all those bias edges.
   Bias stretches...always.  Each row is bias joined to bias in this braid.  That is why I only cut when I am ready to sew...right then.  Even so, you make have some places that don't match too well.   The other braid quilt (and the French Braid too) that I made  had a separator strip sewn between each run.   So I wasn't sewing bias to bias.  

   But luckily, these are busy prints and  make for good camouflage!  Note the bottom triangles where the dark row joins the light row.....way off.  Yet the rest of the row was almost perfect.

  Technique Tip:
   This area matched well too.   I did not pin  right at the edge, but rather about an inch in from where I would sew.  I was more concerned with the center points of each run staying level and even  across the quilt top......so I also pinned in the center matching those center points.  
     That was all the sewing done today.  It is Day 81....much more progress is being made in PT.  I notice more range of motion to the side and I can raise the arm (with right hand assistance) almost 90 degrees.  So there is improvement and hope.....and more to come.
  Happy stitching.

Happy Day 75

   Yes, Day 75 for me....I woke up for the first time in 75 days with no pain.  When I said a cheerful  "Good Morning" to Sir Old Man, he was  a little stunned and it took a few seconds to register the tone of my voice. Very appropriate  that it lands on Independence Day--our mid-summer 4th of July--for me.  I do believe I will regain some of that independence  for myself soon.  To celebrate, I sewed this morning.
      I finished off a couple of string pieced mug rugs. Just using lots of bits and pieces of floral fabrics sewn to a muslin base. No plan to them, I used what was next in the pile of strings.
     Next I went to the design wall and tackled the last 2 braid runs of floral fabrics.   Then I put together 3 of them to see what would happen.

     Once I got them stitched together, I realized how reminiscent this one is to "Comings and Goings"  journal quilt project.  The journal quilt was done with squares, and this is done with the braid strips, but visually very much alike.  I seem to have a one track mind with this design.
   Technique hint:    Each braid is cut 2 3/4" from the center point to the edge.....be sure to spray starch before cutting to help stabilize the bias edges that will be created.  Sew immediately....cut, sew, then cut the next one.  Only cut the side you will be sewing.

    I added a link in the side bar for my daughter's new etsy shop, PodBelu.  She is back to making her PodBeLu bags for small knitting projects.  Some bags are quilted and others are up-cycled wool sweaters that she felts and sews.   And she is adding lavender sachets for tucking into your woolen items....now you know why I harvested so much lavender.  Pop over and check it out, please, for Mom's sake.

   Now that I have had fun sewing, it is time to exercise with the beach ball and stick.  What a way to celebrate the 4th.  Hope yours is happy.
Happy stitching.  

You have to squint....

  Day 65---Slightly stiff  today...probably the heat and humidity.  I am looking forward to PT this week so they can manipulate and relax some of those muscles around the rotor cuff that are frozen.
    I managed a little sewing over the last couple of days.  So I have 3 runs completed and have 3 more stacked up to sew of the floral braid.  This is just a temporary arrangement until I get the rest done and then I will play with the runs and see what happens.  You have to squint or stand back a bit to get the real blended effect.  
The braid is about 30 inches long, so this will be a small one.   I will finish off the points with triangles.  

 Have you noticed or seen the Winter Olympic banners?   I am intrigued by them....blending and bold colors.  Good inspiration here,  maybe a couple of seasonal banners based on them?  Not sure, still playing around with this in my head.  My first impression was 1000 pyramids , but not so.....diamonds in various sizes, a piecing nightmare!   But I bet we will be seeing quilts inspired by them all over soon.
Happy stitching.

Another start

  Day 56 and  yesterday, for the first time in 8 weeks, I was allowed to raise and move  my arm away from my body with assistance!  That is a huge for me.  After PT,   I have a whole new set of exercises  to do and a few to help with the back and leg problems.  I have been able to do some  stitching by keeping the arm supported and using fingers mainly.....but now I can actually allow the arm to stretch out, still with support.  But movement is wonderful, and I was so ready.  So I celebrated last night with a new start.

     Another braid.....I have been playing around with this in my mind for a while, so I listened to Dana's suggestion ( Thank you for encouraging me!) and played with fabric strips and scraps during the last couple of weeks.  Last night I sewed a run to see how it worked.    I used all floral fabrics---told you I had a big stash---to construct a simple braid beginning with a medium light fabric to a very dark fabric.  I plan on joining the runs without a separator strip, so that the individual runs merge and blend together.
    Next to questions  I get about making about water color quilts, questions about making a braid come in second.   The technique is simple, and  the sewing is easy.  There will be some waste when the edges are cut and joined, but I would rather have the small waste than work with bias edges on this.

  Once the strips/scraps are laid out to achieve the blending of dark to light, they are stacked up in the order to be sewn.   I begin with a 2" square and add 2" strips to each side.    To the first side I add a strip that is 4" long, and then the second strip  of 6 "  is added to the other side.    Just keep adding the strips in order---first to one side and then the other---to get the length you want.  

   The next most common question is about blending the fabrics.  It takes time and patience to figure this out.  And a lot of variety of fabrics with different values in them.   This close up photo shows the blending from light on the left to the darker fabrics.  In a close up you can see the different prints, and how the background value goes from light or white to a little darker tan to a dark black.  The prints tend to merge and blend where they are joined.  Squint at it and see what I mean.
     Some day I may try this technique with just scraps and  put everything in....I have seen some wonderful scrap quilts made this way.  But this one will be done as a color wash with blending.   Hard to give up what I love so much.  Happy stitching.

Higher Hope

The scrappy braid has been hanging around since

January, waiting to be finished.  It is now bound --with lots of left over strips---and labeled, as

Higher Hope.   It was so beautiful outside this morning, I just threw the quilt over the bench on the porch for a quick photo.  Click here for a full photo. from an earlier post.   This one is staying here....I have claimed it.  I love how the bands of color float on the black background.   It ends pointing up to my higher hope, a good reminder of where my mind needs to rest.   

 

     I am part of the meal team at church and one of our members is doing a free seminar for us.  She is known as the Clever Coupon Chick.  So while I was printing up the label for the quilt, I decided to do a quick graphic for a  mug rug for her.  I just printed it on Printed Treasures and cut it out to feature. 

One final thing..... Insight:  Clean your machine....inside and out.  I removed the bottom cover of my machine and yuck!  No wonder it was running heavy and would skip once in a while.  Lots and lots of lint and batting fuzz.  Russ helped me get it all out and then oiled the wicks for me.  She runs and sounds so much better. 

Happy stitching.