Sunday, September 30, 2018

USING EVERY LAST PIECE...



Do you remember the Fall mini quilt that I made for my foyer?



Here she is in all of her glory!  This is probably my favorite "mini" quilt so far!



When the mini quilt was finished I tossed all of the fusible "scraps" into a drawer.  Some day I would find a use for them!

The past two months have been really stressful with family illness, my Dad's second TIA, wedding preps and un-called-for drama invading our home!  I needed my sewing room therapy!!!!!


Since I usually try to make a table topper to match my mini quilt decor, I searched around for a picture of a maple leaf.  I used my copier to adjust the size and then traced the leaf onto heavy vinyl.  I cut out the vinyl leaf and used it to trace leaves onto the fusible backing of the scraps.


Using a completed table topper as my guide, I traced roughly around it to come up with the general size and then played with the leaves until I found a placement that I liked.


From that point forward it was smooth sailing!  I used my iron to attach the leaves to the background fabric.  I then stitched them down using a version of the blanket stitch.  This particular stitch sews a stitch on either side of center...exactly what I wanted!  One of my favorite things about Fall is the TEXTURE.  Texture is everywhere...in the crinkled leaves, the rough cap of acorns, rows of texture in decorative corn.  It is impossible to NOT see texture in the season!  The little stitches jutting out in two directions definitely added to the texture of the piece! 

I did two rows of outline stitching on one line of leaves.  I was called away from my sewing machine and accidentally began squiggly FMQ before doing the same on the other line of leaves.  Oh well, not a disaster.  After I completed all of the completely random FMQ I went back and added tight random FMQ around both lines of leaves to make them really pop!  More texture!!!  A small amount of plaid fabric found in my stash for binding and the table topper was complete.


I changed out the photo in my leaf frame for something decidedly more Fall-ish.  A friend asked if the P was for Pumpkin or for our last name.  Both!!  With our son's wedding in less than two weeks, our last name is playing a pretty prominent role around here!!  Lastly, I picked up a small copper dish at Tuesday Morning to hold the keys that are dropped here as we go in and out of the door.  Even the little dish fits right in with Fall, orange-y copper outside and gold-ish brass handles! 

I love my new table topper and the season it depicts!

Toodles...

4 comments:

  1. Isn't it wonderful to be able to use up every scrap of fabric. You did very well.

    God bless.

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    1. Thanks, Jackie! I am REALLY black belt frugal-ing in every aspect of our lives! Ron may be retiring next year (their department is being "transformed" and God is the only One who knows who will be cut!) so I am trying to use every scrap of fabric...and everything else in my house! Plus the wedding has meant money going out! I hope you are doing well. I have been so busy that I haven't been able to follow your blog, or talk to Jan and Terry every day! I can't wait for normalcy!!!

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  2. Beautiful work and perfect for fall! I would love to see a closeup of that stitch you used on the leaves that is like a blanket stitch. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thanks, Connie! You can find a close up in my Pillow Cases post. Thanks for having the linky post on your blog. I have found SO many great blogs through your site!

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