Sunday, January 23, 2011

Some Sunday Sewing

Last week was a busy week and it included a new craft for me, candle-making!  As a volunteer at my son's elementary school I helped with Colonial Days on Friday.  There were booths set up outside where the students learned how things were done in Colonial Days.  I was lucky enough to be the parent volunteer at the candle-making booth, where students dipped string into melted Gulf Wax mixed with melted crayon.  After dipping the string in the warm wax multiple times, a candle would form.  Lots of fun and lots of messiness!  These candles were not for burning though, and I do not suggest you try this messy project at home! The students had a blast wearing traditional Colonial clothing for the day, trying Colonial food, and playing games Colonial children enjoyed ( What, no video games!?!)  

This weekend I have been working on blocks for my LePetite project, Mon Ami, designed by Carrie Nelson.  Here is some of what I have so far, in no particular order.  Central Park and Fandango, both by Kate Spain, are the fabric lines I'm using.  This is my first try making a project with fabrics that have a more modern, fresh look to them.  What do you think?   Even though some of the prints were bigger, I felt like as long as I picked fabrics with enough contrast to them, I'd be okay.

Hoping to finish on time to be included in the LePetite parade.....Will I make it? 

But I have to ask, am I the only one who feels like they have to cut off some of the pinked edges from charm squares?  Do you square up your squares? I just feel like I should do that for some, okay almost all, of my projects using precuts. This one in particular.  I like having my seams match and my triangles pointed.  Getting rid of some of the pinked edges seems to help me with that.  There are lots and lots of little bits of fabric floating around my house at this moment, as a result of cutting off those edges!!  There are even some stuck on the dog!

I've noticed that I've gotten some new followers in the past few weeks and I want to thank you so much for following my blog!  Being pretty new to the blogging community, I appreciate the warm welcome.  I love, love, love to read your comments! Knowing that you read and enjoy my blog makes my day!

10 comments:

Unknown said...

It looks great! It's fun to see yours because it's so untraditional. I bet it will turn out looking wonderful. I don't cut off the pinked edges at first, but if they're excess, they do get cut off before I'd chose to cut anything else. But I've found sometimes that amount of fabric is necessary for the correct measurement.

Carol said...

I often find that the precuts are a smidge big so as I'm cutting I make them the right size..sometimes a lot of the pinked edge comes off and other times not much, but sure does get messy. Your MonAmi is wonderful!

Linda said...

I'm not a fan of the pinked edges. I usually end up trimming them off at some point. Your Mon Ami is beautiful. Love the fabric! Candle making sounded like a lot of fun. At least the mess wasn't at your house! :-)

Jamie Janow Elfert said...

Love the fabric you are using for this pattern. Your blog background quilt stopped me in its tracks. I made these blocks using scraps, however yours is awesome. Just visited your whole blog and enjoyed. I will be back!

Anonymous said...

Sometimes those pinked edges drive me crazy on the pre-cuts...yesterday I worked with jelly roll strips for a quilt out of Scrap Basket Sensations...I had little bits all over me! Errr

Keep going on Mon Ami...plenty of time!

Dandelion Quilts said...

I try to match up pinked edges with pinked edges...does that make sense? Anyway, I normally leave them. I can see how they would annoy you though. I love you Mon Ami....love seeing all of the colorways your girls put out there with your project of the month. I have to say, I think I like yours best this month! Very pretty.

Tonya said...

I love how your Mon Ami is coming along! The colors look awesome! I too dislike all those little edges, quite annoying!

Joyful Quilter said...

I've never made anything from a charm pack. I try to look the other way when I use jelly rolls (which isn't very often) and do a generous 1/4 inch seam instead of a scant.

Your Mon Ami looks very tropical, can't wait to see it done (so far I like yours better than all the others I've seen, but don't tell anyone...just our secret).

Nicole said...

Your Mon Ami quilt blocks are adorable!! Don't you just love how the little Schnibbles patterns let you experiment with new blocks and fabric groups? You get a finished project in no time.
I don't really like the pinked edges, and trim them off when I can. Sometimes you just can't do that though. Then I try to ignore them!

Kelly@ Charming Chatter said...

Love your Mon Ami - and I like the fabric too. I'm with you - I don't know what my problem is, but I hate those pinked edges and always trim them off if I can so I can get more straight seems!