A Mini Wedding Art Quilt for a Wonderful Niece #1 of 2

I have promised a small mini art quilt for a wonderful niece since, I don’t know, sometime last year!  Well, she got married this February. So, I thought I should try to finish one soon. I want them to be perfect. There are a few mistakes, er changes, but, as I’ve been told, the imperfections are what make these mini art quilts unique. Still, it’s hard for me to go outside the box. If only I did that, all of my mini art quilts would be finished much sooner.

Anyway, here is one of them. (I made her two since she was so patient.) I’ll show the other one next week.

She received them last week; so it’s safe to show them here now.

 What I used to make this 15” x 11.5” mini art quilt:

* Laser printed transparency sheet with picture pulled from the computer.

* Three different types of home dec cotton fabric

* Moire fabric (with a wavy watered appearance), for the birds, flower, and hearts

* Same home dec cotton fabric for the butterflies

* Sizzix butterfly die

* Peltex batting sandwiched between  the fabric to help make the mini art quilt stiff

* Buttons

* Heat set heart gems

* Crystals for the birds eyes

I frayed the edges of the frame and used colorful decorative thread. I sewed around the appliqués using the appliqué stitch.

Sewing Gifts: Wristlet Zippered Pouch, Travel Tissue Holder, Sachets Filled With Lavender

There is a wonderful person at the front desk of one of the Y's I attend. She is a shy, but always helpful, pleasant person. She never seems to give anyone any attitude. She seems to be always in a good mood. So I wanted to say "Thanks" by giving her these little gifts I made. Thank you Erin.

The fabric used is 100% cotton for the main outside, while the lining and hearts are made with cotton flannel.

The wristlet zippered pouch is around 7 1/2" x 7 1/2" I quilted only the pouch using batting in-between the cotton flannel lining and main cotton fabric. I also used a 7" zipper.

The handle for the zippered pouch is cut about 3 1/2" wide (can't see the picture of the handle)

The travel tissue holder holds standard Kleenix Travel Tissues. It's overlapped so that it says closed.

The two sachets are made using main cotton fabric stuffed with dried lavender, while the appliquéd hearts are made using cotton flannel.

I used Sizzix die # 655776 to cut the sachets. For the hearts on the sachet, I used Sizzix die #656334.

I took many pics of how I made each of them, but there are numerous sites to find instructions for the quilted pouch and travel tissue holder.

Antique Vintage Linen Napkins Turned Into Sachets w/ Lavender and Flax Seed

Throughout the years, I've been collecting old vintage linen napkins. They've been sitting in a drawer for years. Beautiful, aren't they? They're so so soft, and you could tell they have a premium quality to them. A few are slightly stained in some places, but that adds to it's uniqueness and beauty.

I thought I would reuse, repurpose, and transform them. One idea was to make small 4" x 4" square sachets. They were made using Sizzix Bigz Clear Die Square Scallop #655776. The sachets are filled with lavender and flax seed. That way, you could also put them in the freezer or microwave and place them on what ever hurts to sooth. The smell is relaxing--so I hear. (I have no sense of smell--really! I have one of my daughter's help me mix the lavender and flax seed together.)

 My beloved mother loved the smell of lavender. These sachets are small gifts of thanks to people I know.  I have plenty more of these old linen napkins, so I will be making a lot more to give away. 

Whimsical or Shabby Chic Decor for a Little One's Birthday Party

I made this whimsical decoration for my beautiful little granddaughter for her one-year birthday party at a park. The banners, including the one with her name, was made using Sizzix dies.

After, I brought this home to keep in my yard for a while.

Heat/Cold Packs

Another wonderful person who was the assistant at my spinal surgeon's office was Melyssa. She was very busy, but ever so helpful, not only to me, but to everyone who was there to see Dr. Rowshan. So, I made her one of these heat/cold packs.  It has a removable cotton cover. Inside, the heat/cold pack is made of unbleached muslin that is filled with flax seed and lavender with essential lavender oil.

To make the filler. I sewed rows lengthwise. Then filled the bottom with the ingredients mentioned above. I put something like a ruler against the filling and stitched across widthwise. I repeated until I reached the top.

Thank You Basket Filled With Various Chocolate Candy + Chocolate Wine and Handmade Infinity Scarf

This is a thank you gift for the wonderfully amazing Dr. Kasra Rowshan who recently performed my spinal surgery. He has to be one of the most compassionate, caring doctor I have ever come across!

This ChocoVine chocolate wine is sweet and very smooth--simply delicious! I wanted to tell my Doctor that if he didn't like it, to give it back. I think he'll like it, as I heard he is  a "choco-holic."

I love this chocolate wine!

I wanted to make something for him, so I thought why not a infinity scarf. It seamed easy enough. I  purchased one yard of 100% 45" wide cotton flannel shirting. I cut in half length-wise. I then sewed the two halves together to make one long one. I then folded the sewn halves length-wise again, with right sides together. I sewed a straight stitch down the length of the scarf. Since I did not take pictures of how I was making it, I found it hard to explain the rest of the tutorial. For complete video instructions, here is a very easy to follow video tutorial. This one, I found to be the easiest for me to understand. My wonderful orthopedic  surgeon said he really liked it. He didn't know I made it. He said  he will use it for when he goes to the ski resort.

I also made these "criss-cross" coasters. I found a cute, colorful, very easy tutorial at Allsorts.

Front of coasters

Back of coasters

Yummy assorted chocolate found at Trader Joe's! (Thanks dear daughter for buying them for me!)

Yummy!

Happy Easter!

HAPPY EASTER!!!

Baskets I put together.

Diaper/Wipes Case with Link to Tutorial

I made this diaper/wipes case using denim and home dec cotton fabric. I've been making these for a few years now for gifts. I also made a diaper bag/purse to go with it--my own design--but I never took any pics of it. I'll ask my daughter to take a few pics for me so I can post it another time.

Here again, the Angel Rose appliqué is stitched using my sewing machine.  The Rose Angel appliqué  is of my dear beloved Mom dressed as an angel at her older sister's First Holy Communion.

I printed the Rose Angel pic using the June Tailor Sew-In Inkjet Computer Printer Fabric, then applying two coats of Mod  Podge that dries clear. 

Anyway, the tutorial for making the diaper/wipes case came from a website owned by Jan Andrea. Even though I've been making these for a few years now, I couldn't remember where to find the tutorial to link to. After much searching, I finally found her site!  I've bookmarked and wrote down her URL, so I can go to it again, since Jan has a lot of Baby Crafts! 

Since I've yet to write any tutorials for my own projects on this blog, I did want to have a link to Jan's tutorial for this project. Her tutorial may be a few years old, but I found it to be one of the best ones out there to make this diaper/wipes case. Jan's instructions are very clear with lots of pictures! Tutorials that have no pics "go in one eye and out the other."

If you have a chance, please take the time to navigate through her website, and be sure to read Jan Andrea's "About Me." She sounds like one extraordinary and busy woman!

Here is her fabulous tutorial:

http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/dipecase.html

Baby Boy Ensemble with Hot/Cold Packs

I know I make a lot of these, but there are so many new mommys out there, and these are quick and easy to make. I love the cotton material. I purchased it at Jo-Anns. These were made for my husband's cousin and his wife.

Appliqued Onsie - Burp Cloth - Bib - Pants

Closer look at the applique

Hot/Cold Packs - Flax seed is used inside muslim, then outside cover is removable for washing

Everything is tied and ready to go