I picked up a set of braided rug gadgets(something like these:  )

at the thrift store for $3. I figured I’d use them to make braided rugs out of wool or old sheets.
Well, I decided to try the gadgets out on a bunch of cotton blend, stretched out and stained tees that were beyond reconstructing.
5 tees and 2 partial tees came to this 18X24 inch rug:

The gadgets worked like they were supposed to, for the most part. All the mistakes you see in the above project are just me learning.

I thought this way a fun project, really easy, frugal and not all that time or attention consuming. I spent about 6 multi-tasking hours on it start(cutting up tees) to finish(photos).

I started this ottoman cover at least a year ago and ran into problems while piecing it(stretching, fit problems) so I set it aside and procrastinated about finishing it.
It took two hours this morning to attach the last two sides and fit it to the ottoman.
I’m glad I only spent $12 on this fabric because it didn’t turn out as well as I’d planned.
Oh well, it’ll help protect my furniture from the kids and their spills.
Sorry if the color is off in this picture, my computer monitor had lost its’ red pigment so everything appears black and blue on our screen. So I can’t tell if the colors are true or not.

This took much longer than I anticipated. I was hoping to do all but the tying by machine but I found that basting the edges and sewing the binding had to be done by hand. There was just too much bunching in my machine.
So what should have been a one hour job turned into a five hour job. Plus a couple of hours to tie the quilt(it’s slow work when you have to repeatedly ask your kids to get off the quilt please!). Plus whatever hours I put into piecing and cutting blocks, maybe 10-12 hours?
So I’m estimating 20 hours total start to finish. And it only took me a few months, lol!
But I think it looks really nice and it’s super warm and cozy.

This quilt was made from about 15 old t-shirts(free), two white cotton sheets($1.60 thrift shop), 3 skiens of embroidery floss(free from another crafter), and a twin sized Warm and Natural batting($11). So total for this quilt was $12.60.

My personal life is a little bit busy right now as I start up our homeschooling year. In my down time I’m piecing a t-shirt quilt for my daughter. I hope to have pictures of the finished t-quilt up next weekend.

I also picked up the needed fabric for my baby quilt backing and today the Dalmatian quilt is sandwiched and basted ready for quilting.  You won’t see pictures of the finished quilt until November so try to control your excitement, ok?

Yesterday I finished piecing the top for the Dalmatian baby quilt.

I ‘designed’ it myself from a one yard cut and 4 fat quarters. I wanted the paws to look like they were walking all over the quilt.

So far, 2 hours designing, fabric prep, and math + 1 1/2 hours cutting and more math + 4 hours piecing, pressing and trimming =7 1/2 hours.

I underestimated how much backing fabric to buy. I figured in the store to make a  3′X4′ standard crib size and my design turned out to be 4′X4′. I really need to remember the 25% rule(figure what you need then increase it by 25%). Maybe I should just double what I think I need to be extra safe?

It wouldn’t be such an issue except that the nearest fabric shop is a 40 minute drive away. I bought my batting online at Joann’s. Maybe my fabric will have to come that way now too. The fabric for this project was bought in Lancaster, PA during vacation.

Anyway, enough jabbering, right?!! Here are the pics..

I finally got completely fed up with washing out baggies and turned to the internet to find an alternative. Well I found some clever vinyl wraps on a ‘green shopping’ site but I didn’t like the vinyl idea. I also didn’t like the $7 each price tag.

After more browsing I came to this great tutorial: www.craftstylish.com/item/43227/how-to-make-a-reusable-sandwich-wrap

Of course I didn’t have any PUL on hand so I browsed for an alternative material. Someone suggested ripstop nylon and I had a scrap of that so that’s what I used.

I think the picture will say it all…..

Here are three projects I made last week from tees. I used patterns and ideas from “Generation T” and an old library book, “Cloth Hats, Bags and Baggage”.
I’m not feeling very chatty today so I’ll just post the pics. :/

Imagine, if you will, a 5 ft X 8 ft corner of an eat in kitchen. Now imagine that space were occupied by 2 ceiling high shelving units, stuffed full. Imagine about a dozen large plastic totes stacked around the shelving units. Imagine cardboard boxes and gift bags and storage bags all stacked around in complete and horrible disorder.
Congrats! You have imagined the sewing space I had last year. Of course it really wasn’t so much a sewing space as a craft supply storage area. And a this and that storage area. In fact, it was just a dump zone for whatever didn’t have a home.
I spent a year purging and organizing, working on the area whenever I could. As part of a challenge at Frugal Village I managed to finish the area yesterday! (Ok, it’s 99% finished. I decided last minute that the corkboard idea wouldn’t be as handy to me as a wall mounted bookshelf and eye hooks for a hang-able clipboard. So I need to purchase and install those items.)
So, without further eloquence…Drum-roll please……..

The red unit stores lesser used kitchen appliances and gadgets. I have very few cabinets. :/

I made these two bags yesterday. they’re 12in X 24in X 24in with drawstring tops. I’m storing the clothes I keep to recycle in these.

The white cabinets are my pantry cabinets. Like I said, not enough cabinets.

I just love the view while I’m working in my space. It’s absolutely thrilling to have  everything always set up, easy to find and  coordinated! I haven’t had that since I had my own room at 14 years old.

I’m pretty happy right now. Can you tell?

Finally got around to making something cute to replace my 15 year old hand-me-down pincushions. I just made them as simple as possible, out of felt, fabric scraps and a couple of buttons.

They’re sized to fit into the compartments of my sewing box. Wish I had thought of that when designing my needlebook. Oh well. Note the ugly old pincushions outside the box. ****((shudder))****

You can’t see it well in this picture but look in the bobbin compartment. I read on another blog about putting baby sized ponytail holders around your bobbins to keep them from unwinding and tangling all over. I had a bagillion of the hairbands since my daughter can’t stand anything in her hair. It works great! (Thanks Jean!)