Tips for Sewing on Buttons

One of my Patterns in called the Merry Berry Vinyl Tote...well, hindsight is a beautiful thing...I probably shouldn't have called it the Merry Berry Tote because...well, the fabric is SOLD OUT!

So unless you have the strawberry vinyl in your stash or you find it on Ebay...you won't be able to make the Merry Berry Tote with Strawberries.  BUT the good news is there are lots of other fun vinyls out there and I found one at Greenbaum's Quilted Forest as shown on the Merry Berry Tote in the photo to the left.

The Tote calls for a large button and Pearle Cotton thread to attach the button.  The best needle in ALL the world for attaching a button is a doll makers needle!  It has a big eye and it's very long...about 6". So no matter what you are putting the needle through...it's easy, because it's long.

See in the photo below how easy it is to go right through the layers of fabric and Soft and Stable.  I use the Pearle Cotton doubled so the button is more secure - I love using the Pearle Cotton because it's a heavy thread and with a big button the thread looks nicer.

Don't knot the thread.  Just thread your needle, start on the backside of the fabric, bring to the front side through the button, through the other hole and to the backside, repeat again, and when thread is to the back take ends of thread and tie in a surgeon's knot (basically a square knot), dab some glue on the knot if desired.

This pattern is super easy and is published for Checker Distributors through Cut Loose Press...to order contact Greenbaum's Quilted Forest...ps. they also sell the vinyl shown on this bag too, and they have FREE SHIPPING!  Give them a call 503-363-7973.

Memory Quilt

At the quilt shop where I work I get the privilege of seeing customers creations and lately people have shared their memory quilts of pups who have passed to "doggy heaven".  At the time, I thought it was a sweet idea to make a wall hanging to have as a memory, but it didn't really hit a cord with me because I don't have a dog.  But when my parent's dog died a couple of months ago I knew right away what I wanted to do for them...make a memory quilt.

So I ran down to the Quilted Forest and got some really cute doggy fabric, some chevron batiq (how cool is that), and some really cute doggy ribbon and set to work.

I started by transferring the photo onto fabric photo paper with my inkjet printer, then randomly sewed on strips around the photo.  I then quilted it with circles and hand quilted around 'Angel' and added a little teeny weeny bow to her hair because she always had a bow in after she had her hair done.

I added some ribbon and put the binding on.  Using a really cool product called 'Lesley Riley's TAP Transfer Artist Paper', I printed a label and transferred it to the burlap...pretty cool stuff - you can transfer writing or photos onto just about anything.

I can tell you this because my parents don't read my blog (very often)...I'm going to hang it in their house today w/o them knowing and wait to see what they say...I know they will be elated!

All the products used in the wall hanging can be found at Quilted Forest - free shipping ;)

Show and Tell Tuesday...International Quilt Market

I started my sewing journey about 18 years ago.  I was living in Alaska working as a cook in a logging camp.  Each meal I made served about 100 men so needless to say when I got married...well, you can imagine I cooked enough for way too many people.  I had to learn how to scale it way back.  In between cooking all that food I found myself looking for a hobby and in the little town of Hoonah there was a quaint little fabric store and the owner introduced me to rotary cutting.  Which by the way, I still have the same mat and rotary cutter from all those years ago.  Don't worry, I've changed the blade since.

I was immediately hooked on piecing quilt tops and have never stopped.  One of the very first classes I ever took was at Greenbaum's Quilted Forest in Salem, Oregon after leaving Alaska.  I made Eleanor Burn's Double Irish Chain from Quilt in a Day.  To this day it is still used on our bed. 

As well as quilting, I have made a lot of bags...let's say probably around 300 at least.  I worked with a friend making customized bags and we were busy.  What a huge learning experience that was for my sewing skills...I'm pretty sure I could make just about any bag/tote while asleep.  Now I'm fully immersed at Greenbaum's Quilted Forest teaching, selling fabric, and writing sewing patterns.

This has all lead to the next step in my journey which is going to International Quilt Market.  What's that? you say.  I remember a few years ago wondering the very same thing.  So over the years I've read about, and asked people 'in the know' many questions about Market.  And after feeling confident enough and selling a few patterns here and there I decided to take the plunge and apply to be a vendor.

To those not in the sewing/quilting world...I explain it to them as a very large trade show, then they seem to understand better the big picture.  Too me though, it's like a HUGE candy store full of beautiful yummy treats to look at and learn from.  Not to mention all the very talented people/artists who will be vendors there as well.

So to sum Market up...spaces are rented to those selling their sewing related wares, it's wholesale buying so it's not open to the public, it's a high paced weekend full of meeting new people, learning, and hopefully above all else getting my name out there to quilt shops and distributors all around the country.

My house is a buz getting ready for Market.  I will show photos of my booth at a later date, so please visit me again.

Here's bird's eye view of Market in Salt Lake City.  I've also attached a link down below of some other photos I found that are fun to look at especially if you have an interest in being a vendor someday.


Happy Tuesday!   Hawthorne Thread