Quilting - a scrappy potholder quilt using some orphan blocks and pieced pieces from my stash

I made up this potholder quilt this past week.  I cut the backers from a light green cotton sheet and hand dyed them to give them a bit of texture and interest using diluted green acrylic paint. Worked very well!!!  

A note to say that I did not do a traditional potholder quilt.  My mom assembled her squares by sewing the backers to each other and then doing the self binding to the front with each row and then doing the same for each long row and then finishing the outside edge the same way - self binding to the front.   The fronts were all made up from orphan blocks or pieced sections which I have inherited from a variety of places.  I store them in a ziploc bag so I can use them as a base for quilting squares, potholders, or any other project.  I made four different dimensions of blocks (6", 8", 10" and 12") all 10" wide with 12" backers.  It allowed for being able to offset the seams and made for a bit more of a scrappy look in the whole quilt.  I just picked through my strips to make up the area around the block/piece until I had the right length.  Once the fronts and backs were all ready I trimmed some polyester batting to the same size as the front, laid them onto the backers and added some lines of quilting to hold them all together.  After getting them all done I started piecing the vertical rows that were 10" wide into rows self binding as I went and them stitched the rows to each other and used the same technique to bind them all together.  To finish off the quilt I did the self binding all the way around!! 

Here is a close up of one of the blocks. The pieced front with the quilting lines and the binding on the piece all the way around.  

It is somewhat of a quilt as you go technique.  

Another one to go to Linus project!!

Therese

 

Sewing - hand dyed fabric for the potholder quilt backers

 I have been working on a potholder quilt in the same manner by Mom made them.  I cut the backers from a cotton sheet and they seemed to bland so I hand dyed them with green acrylic paint.  It deepened the colour some and gave it a bit of texture.  Better!!!  Therese 

Quilting - a bright quilt with slow stitched squares framed with strips log cabin style

 I have finished this fun little quilt (34" x 45") this week!! It started with a dozen little off white wonky squares which were precuts I acquired somewhere along the way and late last year I cut out a colourful little heart for each one and then added slow stitching in a variety of ways to secure them to the squares as a slow stitching activity.  Once they were finished I then added them to a substrate square (from my stash) and stitched on a variety of bright strips all around them in a sort of loose log cabin manner.  This past week I trimmed them to 8.5" square which was the smallest of them and then added royal blue sashing between them.  My daughter had brougth along some fabric when she came a few weeks ago and I thought that this green stripe would work very well for the backing.  I added a single layer of cotton between the top and the back and stitched rainbow thread all around the squares to attach all the layers to each other.  I brought the backing to the the front and bound the edge with it.  I love how it worked out.  It was fun to work on this quilt from the slow stitching to the final step of sewing down the binding.    It is headed to Linus Project!!  Therese

Slow stitching - some red fleece poppies

 The computers have been giving us a bit of grief in the last few weeks since the last windows update and with several "computer" tasks that were a no go I decided to head downstairs and keep my hands busy.  I cut out some circles from this dense red fleece to be used when I am making more card holders.  I just thought that there must be something I can do with the off cuts so I searched for what I could do with scraps of red fleece and found a tutorial on making poppies.  Seemed like something worth doing so I drew up a template and cut some petals - quite a few actually!!  After cutting out all the petals I stitched them together - five at a time using a running stitch on the bottom edge and pulling it tight then tying off the threads.  I found some black fleece and cut some small circles which I added to the centers of each flower.  They turned out better than I had expected and I will now have to find a purpose for them in one of my next projects.  Therese

Cardmaking - beautiful photos with layers over seam binding and decorative paper backgrounds

 Two more cards for the mother's of our grandchildren!!  My daughter loves sunflowers so I made up this card for her using a sunflower photo which I cut off of last year's photo calendar which my sister gave me for Christmas.  I use so many of those phots in my cards!!  I layered the 4" x 4" photo with green and then added it to my card front which features a piece of yellow decorative paper with a length of green bias tape.  I tied a short end to the long one to with a single knot to simulate a bow.  

For my daughter in law I made a similar card with a different photo - tea cup - and coordinating papers and seam binding.  They are ready to go!!

Therese

Cardmaking - a quick and easy card using colour printed image over a layered background

 

This was a last minute card as I had my daughter's birthday card and realized I had not made up my Mother's Day cards yet though it was wise to send them at the same time.  So I made up this small card to fit in the larger birthday card!!!  

A laser printed rose image with paper piercing on all the edges which I layered onto a blue piece of cardstock which I trimmed with scalloped decorative scissors and paper pierced.  I added a green strip to the pink embossed and border punched layer.  I added the layer to a small white card and added the rose with 3D foam tap.  

Therese

Cardmaking - fun collage backgrounds with coloured paper lace and serendipity flower die cuts

After a bit of clearing out of things a while back I found this fun collage paper which I created using old calligraphy newsletters.  It was totally fun and so nice to find the paper again!!!  I highlighted the trimmed backgrounds with coordinating inks to match the flowers I had chosen.  I added a fun little flower embellishment in the center of the top flower which I added over the watercoloured paper lace.  LOVE it!!!  

For my second card I added my layered flower over the watercoloured paper lace using a glue dot.  I added a pink decorative paper before adhering this large layer to my brown card front.  

Therese
 

Cardmaking - a fun anniversary card with a woven background and a butterfly on an embossed background

Another couple!!  The top one has a gold embossed background which I had to tone down with a bit of yellow.  I embossed a strip of brown with a script embossing folder (SU), adhered it to the background and then added two eyelets and tied in some fiber.  I adhered this large element to my brown card and added a die cut butterfly.  It was made from a piece of serendipity paper from a while back. 

An anniversary card for a couple celebrating 50 years!!!  The hearts on a string was just right and I trimmed the top and bottom with a with a wavy line and added some paper piercing.  I added bows to the string with a black marker.  I created a woven background using pink and yellow scraps which is close enough to gold for me.  Worked out so well!!!

Therese  
 

Cardmaking - pieced backgrounds with images layered on embossed layers

 Another couple cards for family!!!  The first one features a couple of pieces of this fun card paper (gift wrap) which I pieced, adhered to my brown card and then added a green strip.  I watercoloured the leaves added some paper piercing and layered them onto a duo coloured embossed layer of cardstock.  I added this focal element to my card front using 3D foam tape.  For the second card, I created a background using strips of all the same paper this time and added some black faux stitching to the pieces.  I added some paper piercing to the wreath and layered it onto an embossed piece of coordinating cardstock.  I added it to my card front using 3D foam tape.  Therese

Cardmaking - pieced backgrounds with layered focal images

 A couple of cards for special occasion for my family members!!  I decided to use up a stash of brown card and envelopes which have been there for a while.  For the first card I added a pieced background using strips from my stash. The heart is a focal element I found in my stash which I layered with a green circle (nestibilities). No record of where the image came from.  The second card used a diamond background paper on a brown card . I cut it in two and added a strip of contrasting paper.  I added torn piece of vellum which I embossed with diamonds (oops!  diamonds are going the wrong way). I added this cup (Melonheadz) which I had watercoloured and fussy cut in a previous cardmaking session and found that the colouring did not coordinate as well as I had planned.  Worked really well here!!!  Therese

Sewing - table topper in grays and soft greens - GA

 I have finished up this project which started as a strip of quilted fabric that came in with donations to our Fabric Sale happening on Saturday, April 25, 2026!!  I took on the piece thinking it might make potholders but it did not have enough batting for that purpose so I started looking for a coordinating fabric to make it into a table topper/runner.  I found gray one in the pieces that one of the ladies working with quilting cottons had set aside and asked the GLA Makers group to choose from to be saved for future projects.  I brought it home and started to figure out how to add to the borders on each side which also needed batting.  I cut wide strips and sewed them first to the front and then folded them over to the back. I cut batting to fit inside before stitching it from the back to the front.  I worked out well.  I did the short ends first and then added the long edges.  I had picked the thread from my stash and when I ran out I was lucky enough to find another that matched perfectly from a different company!!  Blessed!!!  It is off to our bins for our upcoming events.  Therese 

Cardmaking - reusing images with 3D embellishments and punched borders

I worked on cards last week and started with a few for my stash to prime my mojo into cardmaking.  I reused card fronts that have been donated to me and added punched borders, cardstock buttons and paper piercing.  It was fun to be making cards again and I have added these to my stash for my next donation.  Therese

 

Sewing - medium hot pad with a removeable and washable cover with four different fabrics

Another hot pad with a removable and reversible cover which features four different fabrics!!  This one is just a medium size 10" x 12" and will certainly work better for anyone with a smaller table.  I used the same fabrics as the last one - subtle Christmas, green with maroon and ochre flowers, red poppy with black and a shaded maroon.  Again, the hot pad has cotton batting, insulbrite, and a knitted wool batting encased with dark flannel.   

Therese

 

Sewing - large hotpad with a removable/washable cover that features four different fabrics

I have made a cover for this large hot pad which I made a while back. I used four pieces of fabric all the same size about 3/4" or so larger than the hot pad and sewed them into a tube by leaving an opening on one of the sides when I sewed them together.  It allows for the cover to have four "different" looks.  The one that is folded over is a very subtle Christmas print that went well with the other fabrics.  This way you can simply wash the cover and reuse it for next time.  Less wear and tear on the hot pad and another cover could certainly be made up if this one should have an "accident".  You can see the other two fabrics in the photo below.  

Therese

 

Sewing - bowl cozies made from cotton fabric and batting and stitched with cotton thread

 I made up another bunch of bowl cozies for the Gramma Link Africa group.  They are 100% cotton - fabric, batting and thread.  I use two layers of cotton fabric (10" squares), two layers of cotton batting(9.5" squares) and cotton thread to stitch all the pieces together (even to piece batting if that is necessary).  I  had done most of the cutting and sorting of materials previously which allowed me to get so many done this weekend.   Therese

Slow Stitching - some fun and colourful card holders made with scraps and CDs

I made up some card holders on the weekend.  I had all the supplies cut out and ready to go so in a few hours I was able to get 12 of these made up.  They are not complicated - 6.5" circles  (2), 5.5" of lightweight batting (2), used CDs (2) and buttons (2).  I hand stitched a gathering thread on the outer edge of each fabric circle, added a batting layer and a CD then pulled the thread to secure all of these pieces to each other.  Repeat for the other side of the card holder.  It is wise to use strong thread for this process because if the thread breaks you have to start over.  Next, you place your two sides with the good side facing out on both sides and stitch a button on each side through the center openings in the CDs.  This required heavyweight thread because it is the crucial part of the substructure that makes the card holder work well.  I collected some bright buttons from our stash for the fabric sale which were perfect for most of these cardholders.  I have come up with a little trick to hide my thread in the process of securing the two sides together.  After clipping my two sides together with a bull clip I insert my needle through the holes in the center of the CDs on one side leaving a length of thread and then thread through one button from the bottom, back through the top and through the two sides again.  I usually do three layers of thread and before sending  my needle back through the last time (to the side where I started and I have a length of thread) I insert a wire below the button right up to the threads in the center  When I insert my needled through this sandwich I make sure that the wire is between the threads and the needle and I pull it through.  Next, I pull both ends of the wire which brings the thread with it.  I pull until I have enough thread to tie off (2-3") and then cut the thread.  This way I can tie several knots with the two ends which makes it quite secure.  I then trim the threads close to the edge of the button and scoot then until the edge.  Keep both sides nice and tight to each other and secures the button very well.    These are off to our inventory bin for our Gramma Link Africa which will be for sale at our events this coming year.    These sell very well as they make holding a large amount of card very easy and also enables little or shaky hands to manage any amount of cards.  

Therese

Sewing - table topper in blue, green and pink with a variety of quilted squares

I also managed to get this table topper (15.5" x 25.5") made up.  I had chosen all the fabrics and already sewn the little quilted squares.  They were placed in our cotton scraps bin which will be available at the Fabric Sale on Saturday, April 25 at Gaetz United.  They were bagged and some of the smaller parts were already sewn so I simply made up six squares from what was in the collection of pieces - hence none are the same.  I framed them in a solid coordinating green cotton and then added a cotton knit batting and a blue backing.  I added some of the backing on both ends to get a few more inches of length for this table topper.  I added quilting lines around each square to secure the three layers to each other.  It will be added to our inventory for our table at the Spring Tea at Gaetz United on Saturday, May2, 2026.  

Therese
 

Quilting - a baby quilt featuring hand stitched stars in yellow thread on white squares with pink, green and yellow pinwheel squares

I made up this baby quilt this weekend.  The squares had all been stitched up so it was a matter of sewing them together, adding a cotton batting and a flannel backing which were already cut to size.  It took the better part of the day but it is now done.  The pink and yellow are cotton scraps that we acquired last year for our Gramma Link Africa fabric sale.  Those solid cotton scraps will be packaged for our Fabric sale this year which takes place on Saturday, April 25 at Gaetz United Church in Red Deer.  There are variety of colours and some of the scraps are quite large.  This is my first "real" quilt where I cut all the pieces and stitched them into squares.  I framed the hand embroidered stars with pink cotton and then stitched them all together to make a quilt top.  I put a pink themed flannel on the back that features a teddy bears in pink , yellow and brown.  Worked really well with the front.  I brought the backing to the front for a self bound edge and them stitched in white around the stars and added diamonds to all the pinwheels in green thread.  I also over stitched all the horizontal lines as well which should provide enough quilting for this baby quilt.  It measures 39" x 48".  It will be available at the Fabric Sale as an example of what can be done with the cotton scraps we will have for sale.    Therese

 

Quilting - scrappy diamond quilt

A scrappy quilt made up from a LOT of diamond shaped pieces of a variety of different fabrics!!  Some were already sewn in strips and I stitched the remaining to finish up the quilt top.  They were not all the same size and all on the bias which is always tricky to sew so I did not bother trying to match the seams.  I made a very scrappy look which I like.  It came out to about 35" x 69".  I found a piece of fleece that would accommodate the size trimmed it to fit.  I pinned the fleece to the front of the quilt and then stitched all the way around leaving a 4" gap.  I trimmed off the extra triangles left on the edges and bottom and then turned it inside out.  I top stitched all the way around which secured the opening.  Next, I pin basted it to keep it as flat as possible and quilted it by tying knots from the front to the back in every second diamond in each row.  It does not show very much from the front and there are lots of fuzzy ends on the back which contrast with the fleece.  It finished at 34" x 68" which makes this quilt the perfect couch blanket!!! It will be off to its next home this week!  Therese

 

Cardmaking - sympathy card with a handmade paper background, embossing and a serendipity butterfly die cut

We have had a death in our extended family so I have prepared this sympathy card for the family.  It is never easy to lose a loved one.  

I started with a large blue card and added a handmade paper background which I embossed with a decorative frame.  I cut out the inside of the frame and added the serendipity butterfly with 3D foam tape.  It still needed something so I added paper piercing on both edges of the embossed area.  

Therese