DIY a Pressing Mat? Wool, yes, I think I can!

Let me preface this post by saying that when you add up time spent and supplies, yes, it may have been cheaper for me to click the "pay" button. But for me, I don't always DIY something to save money or time. I just simply love the creative, inventive process of DIY!

In the quilting world, there is an endless number of things on the market to magically make me become an amazing quilter....I admit to falling into the trap more than once. I love watching videos and going to quilt shows to be mesmerized by demonstrations of quilters' tools. I must admit, I am blown away by the abundance of ingenuity in the quilting world.

Trending this year....the felted wool pressing mat.

Oh, yes, I wanted one when I saw them being used....c'mon, admit it...you did too!

I love my DIY iron board, but what if I had a felted wool pressing mat? Could my quilt pressing be sooooo much more satisfying?

I had to know.

This post was created after visiting many online stores placing the magical felted wool pressing mat into my cart only to leave it abandoned in the virtual aisle waiting to be put back on the shelf by the virtual stock person because the DIY voice in my head kept saying, "Hey, I wonder if I can make one?"

I have no idea if my felted wool pressing mat performs like the ones I left abandoned in my cart. I do know that creating this was fun and it felt kind of adventurous because I could find no DIY,  made from scratch, felted wool pressing mat tutorials on the world wide web.


So, this is my adventure creating a felted wool pressing mat.....

I crocheted a large rectangle using inexpensive 100% wool yarn. I got tired of crocheting at about 38 x 28 inches and figured that was good enough for my experiment.



After stitching in my loose ends (not sure if this matters but it feels necessary).
I tossed my rectangle into the wash with some towels and set the machine to HOT. I added a drop or two of detergent and closed the lid, pushed start and hoped for the best!

I have some experience in felting so I knew this was going to require patience and a watchful eye. One of the important things to note here is that the spin cycle will create creases in your hours of crochet (don't ask).....do not let your machine go to spin!

It took 5 cycles to get my nicely crocheted rectangle to become
this ---------------------->

I know, it doesn't look very impressive but wait...










 Shaving is a very important part of a felted piece's beauty. Shave, shave, shave...a lot!










Shave it some more...trim it and oh my!     

                                     It looks like it could be a REAL felted wool pressing mat!

Let me say again, that I don't know if my DIY felted wool pressing mat performs like others but I am pretty impressed with the flatness of my block!








My mat is not as thick as purchased mats but it still works well and I can use it on any surface without worry AND I created a hinge in mine so I can take it with me to classes. I can use it open if I have room or folded if I have a smaller space....HA!...Two sizes in one!

My finished size is 26 x 12. Those of you with math skills can figure the shrink percentage precisely but I'm going say as a general rule make your square or rectangle 50% bigger than the size you want to end up with should you want to go on this adventure.

I love my DIY felted wool pressing mat!

Coloring inside the lines...

I know I'm not the only one who feels the calendar slipping by rather quickly. I read bloggers everyday expressing distress at the speed of time. Nothing has made me more acutely aware of how quickly the pages on the calendar turn than the Craftsy Block of the Month I have been trying desperately to catch up with. Each time I sit down to work a block, it is brought to my attention that I am STILL two months behind!

It's a good thing modern technology has allowed us procrastinators the opportunity to replay and pause the classroom or some of us might never graduate!

I have been really good at sharing with you the process of putting together each block, but I failed in April to snap pictures. Well, part of it was done here    so, can you blame me? And honestly that was April......I just did not COMPLETE them until now.

Each month there are postings on Craftsy of finished blocks and there is some amazing talent out there. Our instructor, Amy invites us to be as creative as we want with our blocks.  I usually am one who goes off into my own creative place and comes out with something completely different than what I was instructed to do....hmmmm...that could have been my problem as a child....

BUT......

I decided that this Block of the Month should be an exercise in restraint....like coloring inside the lines, you know? 

Pfffff....I know, it's crazy isn't it? How does a creative mind stay in the lines?

Secretly, I have another one of these blocks made up in a completely different pattern because I just had to...but don't tell anyone!

 

Let's just pretend that these are the two April blocks I did and they are exactly as instructed.....I stayed inside the lines....mostly.

How about you....are you a color inside the lines type of person?

Teaching my sister to sew

My sister, Marie, asked me when I was going to make more of these....

Aren't they cute? She bought a lot of these bottle covers from me when I used to make them and sell them in my Etsy Shop. I tired of making them and put the idea on moth balls for a long while. I had actually forgotten about them until she asked about them recently.

So, I dug out my pattern. I designed it to fit over the odd shape of the Bath and Body Works hand soap dispenser. When their soap goes on sale, I stock up to have them around for a quick gift. Everyone uses soap....right? I whip up one of these bottle covers in a favorite color or theme to suit my recipient and voila! An inexpensive, simple but personal gift!

But, instead of making bottle covers for my sister, I decided to write a PDF pattern for it so she can sew her own.....teach a man to fish....except in this case...teach my sister to sew. After all, she needs to get her sewing machine out of moth balls and maybe this will encourage her to do just that.


Of course you have to have a catchy name........

 And lots of reasons to make them....






Housewarming gifts.......

             Teacher's gifts.........



















Party hostess gifts..........

My friend, Joni, tested my pattern for  me and she made this one for her kitchen.....







                          Isn't it SoaPretty?





I think the possibilities are endless.....add some piping, rick rack or lace. Embellish it with a flower or rhinestones. The canvas is small but sure can be cute!!

I've placed my pattern here and here so you can be prepared for the holiday season with something quick to put together for that last minute gift! It's a great way to use up your stash too!

In the Purse-uit of happiness

Is there anything like a new bag? I think not! A bag, a purse, a tote, a clutch...they all have one thing in common....we LOVE them!

They come in "just the right" color or style. We buy them because "it matches my shoes"...because "it will go good with..."....because it's practical? (not so much). We wear them like trophies on our arms..on our shoulders...on our backs...in our hands and YES there is always that triumphant feeling when exiting the store after "winning" a new trophy!

 
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE bags...I am an addict, I admit it. My closet has more purses than shoes, that's for sure. I'm older now (or at least parts of me think so) and my shoulders have tired of carrying big bags that make a statement. So, my collection has become small and shamefully practical but I still find myself touching, smelling, opening and closing bags of all sorts when I am shopping....it's a woman's right...it's written in the Declaration of Independence after all...that all women shall shop in the "purse-uit of happiness" !! RIGHT?

 

The Forefathers may have had it wrong, but women know where happiness is....it's in the bag! 

In my Imaginarium

This past week I wrote and published my first PDF pattern for a small wallet tote I designed for my youngest sister. She wanted something to carry just her Disney Pass and some money when she went to the "happiest place on earth"...I asked her if that meant she was coming to my place for a visit, but apparently, she was talking about Disneyland :(

She's a nurse and a bit of a germ-a-phobe, so I added a small hand sanitizer and called it the "Happy Hands Wallet Tote"

Now she can spritz away those handrail germs...You're welcome, sister!

For her tote, I used some Micky Mouse fabric.

I made one for me to go to my Grandson's baseball games on the back of hubby's motorcycle...no big bags for me!

This fits my cell phone my ID and some money...what else do I need to carry?

Just fun and perfect!

Blogger's Quilt Festival...how could I resist?

One of the blogs I follow is Quiltincats. She recently posted about a Blogger's Quilt Festival and so of course, I had to check it out. Amazing! Simply amazing! Over 500 entries have been made already...that's crazy!

Well, naturally, being slightly competitive and a lover of all things quilts....I figured I better throw my hat in! What do I have to enter though? This is the last day to enter and so it's not like I can finish any of my UFO's AND take pictures AND write a story.

Let me see....I must have something around here.....

Aha! Peace, Love and Happiness! I made this one last year and it makes me smile when I see it, isn't it so bright and cheery?

 It's kind of scrappy (I love scrappy) and I also love rag quilts. They are super easy, you get to quilt as you go and they just have a homey, snuggly feel about them.





This quilt was really out of my element. I have a tendency to stay in a not so lively color pallet but I wanted bright and hippy colors contrasting with one of my favorite combinations, black and white. 

 I also love to use my embroidery machine AND I love applique....did I mention that I love all things quilt?  So I got to play with finding just the right font for my "peace, love and happy" 

and of course there is peace, love and happiness in applique too!

I had discovered in a previous rag quilt, the use of Osnaburg fabric for the inner layer. I absolutely love it! It gives my quilt a light but cozy feel and the Osnaburg just ravels so nicely!

AND, this is one of my favorite things about making a rag quilt....the back is done when the front is done and the only thing left is the binding!

So, I am going over to Amy's Creative Side now and link up to my first ever Blogger's Quilt Festival!

Come and see and the wonderful entries, you will be amazed, I promise!

Food for shopping

When my sister and I set out on our quilt store shopping marathon last weekend, I knew we were not going to have  take time for eating because both of us think fabric shopping is life sustaining........who needs food when you're fabric shopping?  

          Don't these look delicious?--------->

 SO,  I loaded the car with water and this recipe for Chocolate Almond Granola I had been drooling over...I found it at Lauren's Latest ....she has some VERY...no, I mean VERY delicious recipes and she's funny to read! 


Of course, mine didn't look quite as delicious as hers...she shows it all sexy in a pretty bowl with some strawberries.












  
  Mine was just in a ziploc baggy....not quite the same effect, but I can tell you it is just as delicious as she describes...especially when we had it the next morning as a cereal! OMG! And the best part....the milk gets all chocolaty like when you eat Cocoa Krispies or Cocoa Puffs....YUM! 
Slurp! Slurp! 






I was just about to put together another batch because we managed to consume that first one shamefully fast.  Thought I would share it with you....not the granola, silly, that's mine....I mean the recipe...here's the link again in case you missed it up at the top there... Chocolate Almond Granola  and Lauren calls it "healthy" which I suppose it is as long as you don't eat it ALL in one day!!

Best invention EVER nomination

Have you ever noticed how perfect the "camping chair" is?  It is simply the best invention EVER when it comes to being in the great outdoors....

It comes with everything you need to work

and it still has room on the other side for enjoying the great outdoors........

Isn't it PERFECT ? 

That's what I did this weekend...visited our favorite local campground and

worked on crafty things while fishing...napping...napping...fishing....

I think the "camping chair" should win some sort of "BEST INVENTION EVER" award, don't you?

Blocks of procrastination

Dang it! Is it really May next week ALREADY? I guess that'll put another X in the FAIL column of the Craftsy Block of the Month  I've been working on ***sigh*** there ARE still a few more days of April so I guess there might be hope...don't hold your breath though....there are lots of things in the procrastination pile ahead of April's blocks...gosh! how did that pile get so high?.....I might have to re-prioritize...pfffff...later.

In the meantime I wanted to share with you the March blocks I completed in April :)


 
I have said before that Quilting is an amazing process of tricks and shortcuts that in the end fool the eye into believing it must have taken years.

These block are definitely in that "fool the eye" category. I love this block...my favorite so far.

This was my first experience with foundation piecing. I think I may have found yet another thing to love about quilting.


Isn't it amazing how you can begin with a couple of lines on a foundation piece of fabric....

 Sew multiple strips onto that foundation piece...any width your heart desires...mix it up...don't be afraid!





Keep adding strips....






and adding strips....














Before long you have what looks like a mess...but the seams are all so perfectly straight!













Trim it up.....makes me look pretty good doesn't it? Wow! That's a nice square!

Now make three more...all different...sewn without care of matching colors or strip widths......

and then when you put them all together..... they become one beautiful block! (Now I look REALLY good...shhhhh.... forget I said that quilting can "fool the eye")

I could see a whole entire quilt made from this block...bet I could get a quilt top done in one afternoon with this method....hmmmm....can you hear the "procrastination pile" screaming?  

And how I got from this.....

To this......

  is another mystery you can solve by joining in with me at the Craftsy Block of the Month..... It's NEVER too late to start, after all I'm pretty sure there's a procrastinator out there who hasn't started yet either!

Music and tote bags....Giveaway#1

High school band has a fond place in my heart. My youngest two boys were in the band..........
                                                          yes, they were band geeks.

 These are my favorite pics from middle school band...*sigh**...I miss those band days!




 So, when my sister asked me to make something for her two boys' high school band fundraiser to auction off for much needed funds (a band program always needs money...lots of money)......

Of course, I said I would.


What are Aunties for anyway?


As you know, I have been digging my way out of my procrastination piles and this request was one of them.
I decided I would make two of my favorite totes for their great cause....and wait....in all my infinite wisdom, I figured since I'm already making two...might as well make three...I can put one in my Etsy Shop...hooray for infinite wisdom!

I do love making these totes, they are always so darn cute when they get finished. I gathered some of my fabric stash and wiled away a stormy Saturday completing yet another procrastination project.

Question is...I wondered...which one do I put in my shop? Which two do I give to the fundraiser.

Well, wouldn't you know, my infinite wisdom struck again! I COULD do my very first GIVEAWAY with one of these darn cute totes!!

Question is...which one?

I could not decide...just couldn't...they are all three so very cute and SOOOO....

I'm going to let the winner of the giveaway decide. Yep, the winner gets to pick the one they want and then I will give the other two to the Helix Charter High School  band program for auctioning off at their fundraiser April 28th, 2012.

Here they are....cute as can be and functional too!

Each tote is made from strong vinyl coated screen. They have six pockets on the exterior, strong nylon handles that go all the way around the bag for extra sturdiness. They sport a custom trim and coordinating piping or rickrack. They are a super book bag, beach bag, diaper bag....just about anything bag!

SO....which one would you pick?

Here's how to enter my very first giveaway:

The rules are simple....enter in any or all of the ways listed below...once. 

 
On April 24th 2012 all verified entries will go into this hat


 The winner will be drawn by my grandson Aidan because he has already learned a valuable lesson on cheating and so it is certain he will honestly draw a random winner :)


Not very sophisticated or tech savvy, but hey, the hat does go with the theme!


The winner will get to pick the tote of his/her choice...how fun is that?

THE LIST

1. How has music been a part of your life? Leave a comment telling me something about music in your life.

2. Follow this blog Blooming where I am planted...are you? (leave a comment here telling me you followed or if you already do...leave a comment telling me you do and your name will go in the hat for that too!)

3. For Facebook fans, go to  Suzies Imaginarium and "like" the shop and leave a comment here telling me you did (if you already "like" Suzies Imaginarium, leave a comment here telling me you do and that will count too!)

4. If you "tweet" go to Suzies Imaginarium and "follow" the shop and leave a comment here telling me you did ( if you already "follow" Suzies Imaginarium, leave a comment here telling me you do and that counts too!)

5. "Tweet" about this giveaway. Be sure to use #totegiveaway so I can find you and put your name in the hat!

Good luck!

Do you have a handmade item to donate to the Helix Charter High School Band fundraiser? Leave me a comment...big or small...every penny counts!