Chinese Butterfly Quilt Block Tutorial

Chinese Butterfly Quilt Block Tutorial

I was playing with half square triangles earlier this past year and started sketching.

 I have looked in my quilt block encyclopedia and done some online searches but haven't found this one.  So maybe I came up with something new. To be quite frank I do not admit to any skill involving writing tutorials or taking photos so please be kind.

 Cut List:


White
     (6) - 3.5" sq.
     (2) - 6" sq.

Fabric A
     (1) - 6" sq.
     (1) - 4" sq.

Fabric B
     (1) - 6" sq.
     (1) - 4" sq.

Instructions:

Match one white 6" sq. with a 6" fabric A and fabric B right sides together.  Sew a quarter inch seam all around the edge of one 6" pair. 

Cut diagonally both directions to yield 4 half square triangles

Press seams and trim each of the 4 half square triangles to 3.5".

Match one 4" fabric square A to one 4" fabric square B right sides together.  Draw a line down the center diagonally with a fabric marking pen.

Sew down the diagonal 1/4 inch on either side of the line drawn.

Cut down center drawn line to yield two half square triangles.

Press and trim these also to 3.5 inches. Layout your butterfly as shown:

Sew rows together.  Press one row to one direction and the next row in the opposite direction for the ease of matching seams. Enjoy!

A bit of what I have been up to

I am attempting to make a come back to the world of blogging.  Something which I actually find super challenging.  I just do not excel at taking pictures or posting at regular intervals.  Maybe it will be my new goal this next January.  In my absence, I have finished some of my UFO's and made progress on a couple of really huge projects!

My Farmer's Wife with a Solstice Star in the middle of it!  It is 100% done and being enjoyed in my house. In fact my daughter was horrified that one of her siblings was laying under on the couch the other day.  I told her my quilts are made to be used and enjoyed.

Finally, got my grandmother's Dresden Plate Quilt finished!  She is enjoying having it on her bed and watching movies under in on the couch in the winter.

This was a lap sized quilt I made.  It was originally going to be a charity quilt but my girls have claimed it to play and picnic on.

Moda Bakeshop put up the Dancing Daisies pattern awhile back.  I had this one pinned and decided to give it a go.  I love it!  The top is finished and next up with be quilting it.  I am finally taking time to slow down and enjoy the process.  It does not matter how long it takes me to finish a project as long as I get it done.

Okay so these are not quilts...but I had so much fun making them for my girls and with my girls.  I thought starting a new school they needed something special.  We actually made a lot more than this!  They have enough ribbons to wear a different one every day for at least 2 months.

So that is just a little of what I have been up to.  I hope to post more soon!  Happy crafting!

Sneak Peek at my Sewing Space and Other Projects

 My friend Carrie, has wanted me to share my new sewing space for awhile now.  So I finally got my pendents all sewn and hung. I also made some decorations for one of the walls.

The close up of the decor I made:

What do you think?  I am thinking of painting my sewing table.  It was around a 25 dollar purchase from a thrift store!  My parents found it and then made a new cutout to fit around my machine!  I also want to get a brand new chair...or paint and recover the one I have.

Another awesome thriftstore find of my Grandma's was this little rocker minus the trim and cushions.  She gave it to me to fix up for my daughter!  I added the trim with staple and glue guns.  I then sewed new covers for the rocker.  I think the bottom pad that came with it isn't substantial enough so I might make a thicker one...but that will require finding more of that print.  So we shall see. 

Here are a few other things I have been doing this week:

Braiding hair!  This is the first major success I have had at anything remotely complex.  I am more of a basic three part braid....anything beyond that or adding hair and I am all thumbs.  I sat down with an idea and it finally worked.  Down it hung nicely and naturally over her shoulder.  She wanted it up though.

 I found the cutest chalkboard stickers at a craft store in town along with liquid chalk  Aren't these fun looking now?  I really want to get jars and do it in my craft room too.

 I have also been cooking and trying things on pinterest.  I found an awesome pizza corona and decided to make one.  So simple and awesome! Next I think I would like to try making the Braided Nutella Bread. 

I did get my dresden plate quilt 100% top stitched and the top part of the binding sewn on!  So all I am doing now is hand stitching and then will get back to quilting more. I refuse to touch any other quilt until it is finished.

Happy Crafting!  

Christmas Cards

I was invited by friends recently to make Christmas cards.  We had so much fun we ended up staying up until midnight! Although I only got four cards made that night.  I have found I am not very quick at making cards.  With a few more sessions I ended up with a total of 14.  Here are a few of the ones I made:

1. Deck the halls - I am new to using rhinestones.  I kinda avoid them.  I think they are perfect on trees!

2. Gingerbread Man! 

3. Let It Snow

4. Merry and Bright

5. Homemade Matching envelopes!

6. Holly Jolly Christmas

7. Santa Wishes

8. Reindeer

9. Large Ornament!

10.  Joy!

I am hoping that putting in all the effort to make them will light a fire under me to get them in the mail.  I am working on addressing them now.  Cross your fingers I make it to the post.  So, do you make your own cards or buy them?

It has been a bit chaotic.  We made a major move to a brand new state!  We are finally all settling into a new routine and are getting our new house more together. I finished this lovely Gypsy toddler/lap quilt amid the unpacking chaos and finally dropped it in the mail.  I had promised a friend of mine I would make one for the organization she runs - "Kylie's Hope".  I hope in the future that I will be able to send her a few more.  I am getting closer to finishing two more quilts and hope to post those in another week or two.  I might also be able to post pictures of my sewing room soon!  I cannot believe I finally have a sewing room! 

Rainbow Quilt Finished!

As you can see we still have snow here.  This quilt makes me feel like it is really and truly spring.

Tutorial - Repairing a Board Book Binding

I have been spending a lot of time spring cleaning lately.  As I looked over my son's board book shelf I found a few that had been chewed on.  It made me a little sad and I was tempted to toss them...but I hate to toss anything that well loved.  Some of these books have made it through 3 children already.   I finally got the idea to try and repair them. What did I have to lose, right?

Here is what you need:

Heavy Cardstock (I got mine at Micheal's)
Scrapbook Paper
Scissors
Gluestick
Packing Tape
Pencil (Optional)
Fine Sharpie Marker
White Craft Paint and Fine Paintbrush (Optional)

1. Pick up your board book with the destroyed or missing binding.  Mine was partially destroyed and so I had to begin by cutting off the remaining binding.  You will also notice that the back cover was had to use my glue stick to tack it down again.

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Your book should look like this

2. Now we will take our book and put it spine down on our cardstock. Trace around the base of the spine with a pencil (my daughter was being my hand model since I have trouble taking pictures and doing the modeling).

Cut out your rectangle.  Now here is where you want to double check the fit.  I like to put the cutout on my board book spine and feel to make sure it isn't hanging over.  I trim the spots were it does.  You could probably also sand it down.  

3.  Put your scrapbook paper face down and put place your cardboard cutout on top of that.  I like to leave about 1/2 an inch border all the way around the cardboard.  Glue the cardboard to the paper.  I now make an "L" shaped cut out or corner cuts at the top and bottom.Fold the paper down onto the cardboard and glue down.  This will give your book spine a more finished look! 

Now fold your paper up on the sides leaving the two sides sticking up.  You actually have two options here.  You can fold the paper sides onto the cardboard and simply affix with a little to your spine.  Or you can place the paper side onto your book and glue down. I will show you what each looks like.

Here it is folded in onto the cardboard. I add a thin boarder of paint next to it to clean up any exposed edges.

Here is the paper coming down onto the book for a little extra clean up I added a white paint border.  The white paint border is actually unnecessary here, I added it for continuity since the front had a thin white border.

 4.  You might have noticed this is also where I add my title.  I wrote mine on in pencil and then traced over them to make sure I centered them.  You could just go for it, stamp one, print it off on your computer, or use scrapbooking letters.

5. Use a long piece of packing tape to cover the whole length of binding.  You might want it a bit longer.  I slowly push it down on both sides to prevent creasing or bubbles.  I then use my craft scissors to cut off the excess tape.  I like the tape because it protects the paper and gives a little waterproofing against my little teether.  

Here you are, they even fit in decently on the bookshelf. 

For a little extra fun you can check out some of our favorite children's books on my pinterest board