September 2011 | Go-Go Kim

sewing + social media + so much more

Friday, September 30, 2011

A personal journal for my little guy

When we were in NC the kids had such a great time discovering everything! There were trees ( not like we do not have those in VA), fungus in aqua, orange and in all sizes, waterfalls galore, rocks and stones and loads of other things to boot.

Katy and her cousin Liz were collecting specimens of all sots of things on my grandparents property and pulled out the guide to figure them all out. I thought it would be great if they could have journals for the next time we are in the mountains to document what they found. 

Then I remembered how four year old boys sometimes forget whose journal is whose so I decided to let Adam help me make his own personal journal.



I had him write his name on a 2.5 inch scrap of Kona white and stitched over it a couple of times. It is his writing so he knows it is his and his alone :o)

Inspired by the tutorial on V and Co. and added a crayon pocket on the front since an explorer cannot be without something to write with out in nature!




The back

The inside flap


Crayons!!!!


So the next time we are here he will have a place to put treasures and notes to remember his adventure





Linking up to Sew and Tell Friday. Feel free to come and see the other great sew and tells there :o)
Kim :o)

Linking to Sew Modern Monday
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Thursday, September 29, 2011

Time for a Go! Baby Giveaway!


I am back from beautiful North Carolina ( many thanks for all the support and kind words from my friends here. You guys are amazing!!!!!)  and so it is time to have the Go! Baby giveaway!  This one is for a Go! Baby and three dies of your choice.

You have four possible entries:

1. Let me know what three die choices you would choose ( I am drooling over too many at the moment)
2. Leave a comment letting me know if you are a follower already or a new follower ( the more the merrier!!!! And thank you!)
3. Sign up for the Accuquilt email here and come back and leave a comment
4. "Like" Accuquilt on Facebook here and leave a comment here letting me know :o) *Please do not write on the FB wall for an entry, just hit the like button and come on back here :o)*

Closed to new entries


Thanks everyone and Good Luck!!!!!!


Kim :o)
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Friday, September 23, 2011

A mini quilt



Yesterday afternoon I was supposed to be packing but I could not stop thinking about Weece.  I was trying to think of some way to have her here with me now and remembered that I still had some of the Dream On fabric that was left from making her quilt so I made a mini quilt. I suppose it could be a mug rug too but I am not sure if I would want to muss it with coffee, tea or biscuits.

I am really happy with the way it turned out and I had never made a mini quilt before but I am sure I will be making more. It is a quick way to complete some sewing when you have limited time but need a sewing fix! If there is anyone interested, I will do a tutorial. I would like to do this one again with some other fabrics.

Please excuse the bad lighting, it is gray and rainy here.





On a huge upnote...Miss Amylouwho will be starting up Sew and Tell Friday beginning today! I will linking this project up there.



As for me, back to packing and I will be back soon with an approved giveaway that I know you will all be GO!ing for ( lame attempt at pun).

Again, thank you everyone for your thoughts, kind words and prayers. 
Kim
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Thursday, September 22, 2011

The passing of a lovely lady


Some of you might remember my criss cross applesauce quilt that I made for my grandmother's 91st birthday. She passed away on Tuesday but I know that she loved her quilt, being the Southern lady that she was, she sent me a handwritten thank you note very shortly after receiving the quilt.

My grandmother was a small petite little thing with a size 4.5 shoe that did not allow the children in the proper living room (unless it was Christmas), I swear I thought I would be struck down by lightening if I had crossed the threshold of the doorway of that room. She drank tea, had a library of cookbooks and took me to see my great grandmother in the old folks home. I loved the way she talked, the way she smelled and the way she would always clear her throat when she was upset.  She never raised her voice to me, she never had to where I was concerned.

My children and I will be with our family members to celebrate her life and our love for Louise Mae...our Weece...





Kim
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Wednesday, September 21, 2011

100 Quilts for kids and a LOT of goodness


Katie from Swim, Bike, Quilt is organizing a great charity event that runs until Oct 15. I know I mentioned it before but I know I forgot to mention that there are also some awesome giveaways 

Katie gave me permission to copy and paste this incredible list of sponsored giveaways from her blog!!!! This is an absolute win/win situation :o) Thanks so much to Katie and to all the giveaway sponsors!

I will be adding a little something to the giveaway too! You all know how much I love a good giveaway. Two charm packs of Moda Punctuation.  




100 Quilts: The Sponsors

I have been so excited to announce all of the fabulous prizes associated with 100 Quilts for Kids, donated by shops, designers, sewing enthusiasts, and friends.  A giant thank you to everyone for your generosity!!! I hope this encourages a few more people to make and donate a quilt. Or 2 (Each quilt you make & donate will get you an additional entry to win one of these prizes ;).  And a very special thank you to Delray FabricsJennifer Paganelli and Fat Quarter Shop for donating big boxes full of fabrics for DC Modern to use to make quilts for kids this weekend. 
[Note: Sponsors are listed alphabetically--I hope to be adding a few more sponsors before October 15, and will update the list as that happens. And a reminder, make sure to click on the links, not pictures!]

Without further ado...

 A Quilter's Table - 60 Spoonflower I-Spy Charms

American Jane- (6) Pezzy Print Patterns

 Cluck Cluck Sew - complete set of Cluck Cluck Sew patterns


Denyse Schmidt Quilts - FQ set (including voiles, not shown here) of Greenfield Hill & four patterns

 Del Ray Fabrics - Little Apples FQ Bundle

Diary of a Quilter

Diary of a Quilter - (3) patterns, winner's choice

 During Quiet Time - Ruched Happy Bag & Hexiecase pattern

 Easily Distracted Debra - Munki Munki Pjs and copy of Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross

Empty Bobbin Sewing Studio- Complete pattern set
 Fabric Shoppe 8 FQ set of Sew Cherry by Lori Holt for Riley Blake Fabrics


Fat Quarter Shop - (3) $50 Gift Certificates

Fresh Lemons Quilts (3) copies of Off Centered Squares pattern
 Fresh Squeezed Fabrics $35 Gift Certificate


Frozen Knickers (3) patterns--Modern Stripes, Dots n Boxes, & Off Sides


Green Bee Patterns - (3) patterns, winner's choice

 
 In Color Order - Vintage Wrapped Wreath kit

Kate Spain - 12 Days of Christmas FQ pack, Flurry Jellyroll, Fandango Jellyroll
 Lime Gardenias - Party Dress by Mo Bedell FQ set


Marmalade Fabrics $40 Gift Certificate & Zigzagged pattern


Monaluna - Monaco FQ set


Oh Fransson - autographed copy of the Practical Guide to Patchwork


Oliver + S - (2) Patterns, winner's choice

 Pink Castle Fabrics - $25 Gift Certificate


Quilt Story - (3) Patterns, winner's choice


Sew, Mama, Sew! - $20 Gift Certificate



Skye Reve Fabrics $20 Gift Certificate
Zippered Pouch
Terrabyte Farm - pouch & 30 + packs of Singer needles for knits, wovens, & heavy weight fabrics

The Long Thread - A copy of her new book, 1, 2, 3 Sew


The Quilted Fish  (2) $25 Gift Certificates

 V and Co. (3) Patterns, winner's choice



Whipstitch - $30 Gift Certificate








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Monday, September 19, 2011

Rockin retro Christmas tree skirt ( GO! baby style)



I decided to use my new baby to make a Christmas tree skirt. I had a fq of each of these Michael Miller Christmas fabrics. A yard of the dots for the binding, a yard of the trees for the backing and I'd say a little less than a yard of Kona white for the blocks and sashing. I still have some left over block pieces to play with in some other project ideas I have been thinking about.




Using the GO! Baby and the Drunkards Path die I cut all of the pieces for my blocks. I can truthfully say I was super happy not to have to cut all those out ;o)

Lay your fabric on the mat

Place the protective may over the top


Turn the handle


And out pop your pieces! Brilliant!!!!!!!





I am certain there are some quilters that can sew these without pinning but I am not one of them. I needed that extra staying power of the pins. That and my fat fingers kept getting in the way.






After pinning assembling the blocks is super easy. Start at the same place you starting pinning and sew around. I think of it from left to right.


This is what one quarter of your block will look like.

Back

Front


Choose four that you like and start assembling



Pin the top

Sew them together

Press seams opposite to make lining up easier. This works for me but I know other people like seams open.


put them together right sides facing

Line up your middle, pin it together and sew



The block is done





I decided to use a skirt that I already have for a template.



Made sure to trace the opening



And I increased the size of the opening for the tree truck. I used a small Revereware pot lid that I have.




Laid out all my finished blocks



It was then that I decided that the fabric was screaming for something... RICK RACK or ric rac :o) The local fabric store was out of the by the yd kind so I bought five of these and only needed three. Always nice to have leftovers.



I pinned the ric rac to the top of each row


Sewed it on one row at a time.





Now you are ready to cut the skirt out



This is when I decided to add the sashing. I could not find an online tutorial for sashing for a circle quilt so I just made 4 inch bias cut binding strips that I attached with more ric rac. Once you start with ric rac it is really hard to stop!



This is when I discovered that when you add four inch binding to a circle quilt you get a Christmas tree BOWL! I ended up folding it in half and that made it much more manageable.


Then I pinned the edges into submission!!!!!



I quilted it and then traced the opening of the skirt onto the quilt.


Save this part...you'll see why ;o)


Here is where I learned a really great lesson...figure out how and where you are putting your ties before you add your binding.  If I were to redo this part I would have marked where my ties were going and added them on the way.


I added my ties about one inch down from the corner under the binding and then secured by flipping it back over the binding and sewing it down.




After the ties are on then you are DONE!!!!!!






I cannot wait to see this on my tree this year!!!!!


and this is why I said keep the circle...


MUG RUG!!!!!!



Kim :o)
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