Amanda

Black Cat Pillow Tutorial

October 22, 2016 by Amanda Leave a Comment

black-cat-pillow-tutorial I need another pillow like I need a hole in the head!! hahahaha!! Who doesn’t need this silly cat pillow on their couch during the month of October! I love looking into the family room and this kitty face is always smiling at me 🙂 Want to whip one up? You only need about 1 hour!!

Supplies:

Heat n Bond® Lite (may use EZ print sheets)

(2) 20″ squares orange ticking for pillow body

Fat quarter solid black

scraps of white fabric, green fabric, and orange fabric

2.5 yards pom pom trim

zipper

20″ pillow form

Cat Pattern, click HERE

Project Instructions:

Begin by printing or tracing each of the pattern pieces to the Heat n Bond® Lite fusible applique. Cut around each piece about 1/4″ away from pattern. Press the pieces to the wrong side of the desired fabrics with hot, dry iron.

Peel off backing paper and position the cat head and face pieces on the right side of one of the 20″ orange ticking squares. Center the cat. Heat set in place.

With black thread, straight stitch around each of the applique pieces 3 times. I only stitched around the cat head once because you can’t see the stitching. Following the picture, add detail stitching for his teeth.

Sew black buttons for the center of his eyes.

He needs whiskers!!!! I used a shiny light gray thread to stitch the whiskers. You can draw them with a pencil first so you don’t mess up ?

I only stitched the whiskers once and used a stay stitch to start and stop.

To finish the pillow, baste the pom pom trim around the pillow front, starting and stopping at the bottom center.

To finish the pillow, cut a 3″ strip off of the remaining 20″ square.

Sizzix Tutorial|Fish Bubbles - Nautical Throw Pillow by Amanda Niederhauser

This is where the zipper will go. (If zippers make you run for the hills, you can finish this pillow using your favorite method. This just happens to be my favorite way to finish a pillow!)

Simply sew the zipper in and press. This is now the pillow back! With the zipper part way open, pin the pillow front to the pillow back, right sides together. Using a 1/2″ seam, sew around the entire pillow.

Turn right side out.

I love silly black cats!!!

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Filed Under: cat, FEATURED, Halloween, Heat n Bond, pillow

Spooky Town Wall Quilt

October 21, 2016 by Amanda Leave a Comment

I love the adorable artwork panels by Cori Dantini for Blend Fabrics! This line is called Spooky Town. It seems each season Cori comes out with beautiful new designs! I came up with this fun way to add borders and create a wall hanging! This tutorial can also be adjusted to fit other panels of fabric .

Let’s get started:

Fabric Requirements:

1 panel

1/3 yard white fabric

1/4 yard black print

fat quarters or scraps for each of the 6 pinwheels

1/4 yard binding

1 yard back

Cut the panel so it measures 13.5″ x 23.5″

Make 6 pinwheels. Each pinwheel is made up of (4) 3″ half square triangles (HST). You can choose any method you like – I always use my Sizzix to cut the HST – they come out so perfect! You will need 24 triangles of orange and 24 triangles of white.

Sew the orange and white triangles together. Press seams open. You don’t have to square up with the Sizzix either!

Lay out four HST and sew together as a 4-patch, pressing seams open each time. You will have 6 pinwheels measuring 5.5″ square.

To make the strip sets, cut (4) 1.75″ x WOF of the white. Cut (2) 3″xWOF of the black. Sew the white strips on both sides of the black strip. Make 2 strip sets. Press toward the dark. Cut the strip sets in (4) units of 9″ and (2) units of 13.5″.

Sew the 9″ units onto both sides of a pinwheel. Make 2 of these side units.

Sew a pinwheel onto the ends of both 13.5″ strip set unit. Press. Below is a diagram with the measurements.

Sew the side units on first. Press open. Sew the top and bottom units on next. Press open.

Now it’s ready to quilt and bind! You will love having this to hang in your house! I made one for me and one for my sister 🙂

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Filed Under: Blend Fabrics, FEATURED, Halloween, quilt

My Favorite Halloween Sewing Projects

October 19, 2016 by Amanda Leave a Comment

I Love looking back at the fun Halloween projects I’ve made – I think it’s my favorite holiday to sew for! I’ve collected my most popular and put them in this post for quick viewing. Click a picture to be taken to the pattern.

Halloween Towels and Pillow

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Filed Under: FEATURED, Halloween, Heat n Bond

Quilt Binding on the Bias

October 17, 2016 by Amanda Leave a Comment

I LOVE striped quilt binding cut on the bias! In fact, this is always my first choice when making quilt binding!! I recently received a question from a reader who asked to explain an easy way to make striped bias cut quilt binding. Here is my answer in a simple step by step. There are fancy and tricky ways out there that show you how to cut binding strips on the bias. I stick to my old-fashion method 🙂

My mother-in-law, who is a seasoned quilter, explained that traditionally quilt binding was always cut on the bias and was single fold. The reason being that when you cut fabric on the bias it won’t unravel as if you cut it along the grain. That way the quilt binding only needed to have one layer because the bias cut would hold up to wear and washing. Now days it seems we all cut 2 1/2″ strips and fold in half and it doesn’t matter which way the fabric is cut.

I like to look for fabric that is printed on the bias. This is the best invention because you get the bias striped look, you don’t need as much fabric, and the cutting is easier!

With bias striped printed fabric you only need to cut it at 2 1/2″ increments!!

Most striped fabric is not printed on the bias so you need to follow this method:

First you want to have at least a half yard of fabric to begin with. A yard is better because you get nice long strips, but if you only have 1/2 yard it will still work. Don’t lay your fabric like this:

Instead you open the fabric and fold it at a 45 degree angle. Line up the fold along the bottom of your cutting mat.

Take the extra fabric at the top and fold it directly down:

Choose a nice spot in the center and line up the ruler. Make your first cut.

Then proceed to cut at 2 1/2″increments until you have the desired amount of strips.

Line up the strips perpendicular angle. Match up the stripes:

Sew from intersection to intersection:

Trim off the excess, 1/4″ away from the seam. Press the seam open.

Perfect bias striped binding!!! Press in half lengthwise and sew on your quilt as you normally would.

You can apply the same technique to gingham and plaid!

Filed Under: FEATURED, quilt

Timber Quilt Pattern from Fat Quarter Shop

October 5, 2016 by Amanda Leave a Comment

I’m so excited to be a part of the Fat Quarter Shop Timber Quilt Blog Tour! This amazing pattern is available for free download (click HERE ) From Fat Quarter Shop! You will love how easy it is to follow and how amazing it looks when it’s all put together!

I choose Tapestry by Art Gallery Fabrics. There is a cat in one of the prints!! screen-shot-2016-10-05-at-1-15-15-pm

Mufasa and I go all settle in and began cutting. Oh what fun!

The blocks are super fun to put gether!

I love that this pattern goes quickly because you can chain piece! Here is what chain piecing looks like at my house!

And before you know it the blocks are finished! These colors and prints just sing!!

There are 20 total blocks that make up the quilt.

I can’t decide which color set I like best!

Before we could finish the quilt – someone pooped out 🙂

These colors look amazing together!!

I absolutely love how this pattern came together! I would totally make it again!! I love the one bright orange row and that it is slightly off center – as if I tried to do that!!!

Now it’s time for you to make one!! You will LOVE it!!!

These fabulous ladies also made a Timber Quilt! Check out their blogs to see their versions!!!

Tina from Emily Ann’s Kloset

Melissa from Happy Quilting

Amanda from Jedi Craft Girl

Melanie from Mostly Crafty

Natalia from Piece N’ Quilt

Megan from Quilt Story

Heather from Quilt Story

Afton from Quilting Mod

Erin from Why Not Sew

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Filed Under: fat quarter shop, FEATURED, quilt

Ghost Windows Wallhanging Quilt

October 4, 2016 by Amanda Leave a Comment

I love sewing with traditional orange and black fabrics – don’t you! This little quilt measures 24″ square and is perfect to hang on a wall or put on a table. All you need is a little yardage and the Sizzix Ghost Die and you’re set! I love that each of the ghosts have their own personality!! All seams 1/4″.

First press the Heat n Bond Ultra onto the wrong side of the off-white solid fabric. I choose Ultra because it requires no-sewing. I didn’t want to spend time sewing around each ghost!

Die cut 9 sets of ghosts. Make sure to die cut ghosts going both ways to give more variety to the quilt. Cut (9) 4 1/2″ solid black squares for the ghost windows.

Peel off the backing of the ghosts and position them as desired.

For the 9 blocks, cut 5 orange fabrics and 4 low volume fabrics according to the above dimensions. Sew the side portions on, press, then add the top and bottom pieces.

Make sure to rotate the ghost windows are in a different loceation, it makes the quilt look a little more random. Sew the blocks together in rows, press, and sew the rows together. Press.

Spray baste, quilt, and bind!

I really love these cute little Sizzix ghosts!!!!!

I have the perfect spot to hang it!!

Supplies:

1/4 yard off-white fabric

1/4 yard solid black fabric

5 fat quarters or quarter yard cuts orange print

4 fat quarters or quarter yard cuts low volume black print

1/4 yard binding

1 yard backing

Heat n Bond Ulatra

Sizzix Fabi

Sizzix Ghost die

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Filed Under: FEATURED, Halloween, Heat n Bond, quilt, sizzix, Therm O Web

Windy Girls Quilt Tutorial- Wistful Winds Blog Tour

October 4, 2016 by Amanda 8 Comments

I’m super excited to be apart of Shari Butler of Doohicky Designs’ Whistful Winds Blog Tour! I met Shari at Quilt Market in May and I was introduced to her Wistful Winds fabric line. Shari is the nicest person ever and her designs are so sweet! As soon as I saw this fabric I new I had to make something for Sally.

So I set out plans to sew her a dress. I had 4 different prints of yardage which was what the dress required. Then, Sally told me she did not want a dress and that she had too many dresses as it was. She asked if I would make her a quilt and I did a little happy dance in my head 🙂 Sewing clothes stresses me out and quilting makes me happy!

And so I set out to design a quilt that only uses 4 different fabrics – because that’s all I had! I love how it turned out and Sally is thrilled!

Mufasa got to test it out for a few minutes before Sally got a hold of it.

Here’s how you can make this quilt:

Finished Quilt 48″ x 60″ – perfect for a little girl

Block Size 12″

All seams 1/4″

Press toward the dark side when possible

Fabric Requirements:

2/3 yard orange girl fabric

3/4 yard small dot fabric

1 yard blue floral

1 yard white floral

1/2 yard binding

3 yards backing

Cut (4) 4 1/2″ x WOF strips orange girl fabric

Cut (8) 2 1/2″ x WOF strips white dots

Cut (3) 4 1/2″ x WOF Blue on blue floral

Cut (3) 6 1/2″ x WOF Blue on Blue floral

Cut (3) 4 1/2″ x WOF White floral

Cut (3) 6 1/2″ x WOF white floral

Sew the white dot strips to the orange girl strips lengthwise. Press seams. Make 4 of these strip sets.

Subcut stripsets into 8 1/2″ increments yielding 8 1/2″ squares. You should have 20.

Sew a white floral 4 1/2″ strip to a blue floral 4 1/2″ strip. Make 3 of these strip sets. Press.

Cut at 2 1/2″ increments. Cut 40

Sew a 6 1/2″ blue floral strip to a 6 1/2″ white floral strip. Press. Make 3 of these strip sets.

Cut at 2 1/2″ increments. Cut 40.

Lay out 10 blocks this way.

Lay out 10 blocks this way – notice the center block rotates.

Sew the top and bottom units, press. Sew the side units, press. You will have 20 total blocks.

Lay out the quilt as pictured above. Notice each row alternates center square direction. Sew blocks together in rows, matching seams. Sew rows together.

Baste, quilt, bind.

This is such a great pattern to whip up for a gift. You could omit 3 blocks and it would be a perfect baby quilt size.

I love the fun pattern this quilt creates by using only 4 fabrics. A scrappy version with lots of different fabrics would also be fun!

I’m thinking this is my new favorite throw quilt pattern! It might even be doable for Christmas gifts!
Someone is pretty happy!! It’s not everyday your mom sews a quilt just for YOU!!!!

Mufasa looks a touch jealous!

Check out these amazing designers and the awesome projects they’ve created using Wistful Winds by Riley Blake Designs!

October 3rd:
Amy Sinibaldi – www.nanaCompany.typepad.com
Kristyne Czepuryk – www.prettybyhand.com

October 4th:
Amanda Niederhauser – www.jedicraftgirl.com
Amy Smart – www.diaryofaquilter.com

October 5th:
Meagan Taylor/Kristi Jones – www.meagsandme.com
Christine Cook – www.stitchingrevival.com

October 6th:
Elea Lutz – www.elealutzdesign.com
Jodie Carleton – www.vintagericrac.blogspot.com

October 7th:
Sedef Imer – www.downgrapevinelane.com
Jina Barney – jinabarneydesignz.com

October 10th:
Elizabeth Evans – www.simplesimonandco.com
Kimberly Bourne – www.mainstreetmarketdesigns.com

October 11th:
Jemima Flendt – www.tiedwitharibbon.com
Nadra Ridgeway – www.ellisandhiggs.com
Amy Chappel – www.amerooniedesigns.blogspot.com

October 12th:
Katie Skoog – www.thesimplelifecompany.com
Amber Johnson – www.alittlebitbiased.blogspot.com
Gwen Sager – www.tillalili.blogspot.com

October 13th:
Angie Wilson – www.gnomeangel.com
Clare Horsman – www.claresplaceblog.blogspot.com
Deanna Wall – www.stitchesquilting.com

October 14th:
Melissa Mortenson – polkadotchair.com
Jessica Stewart – www.izzyandivydesigns.com
Shari Butler – www.doohikeydesigns.com/blog/

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Filed Under: FEATURED, quilt, Riley Blake

Shabby Fall Bunting and Farmhouse Fall Decor

September 23, 2016 by Amanda 5 Comments

It’s so much fun switching out all the summer decor for fall decor! I wanted a vintage farmhouse look for my front porch. So I gathered a few items, I call it shopping at my house! I love these shabby buntings and needed one that would fit on this vintage window.

I pulled out all my lace, trim, ric rac, burlap, and soft colors of fabric. I cut each piece about 24″ long, you don’t want every piece to be exactly the same.

This is Mufasa’s favorite kind of project!

After playing in all the lace, he napped in the lace!!!

I tied each of the strips to a piece of cotton cording. Just keep tying until you get the look and length you want.

I love how it turned out! My daughter drew my chalkboard art – she’s the best. I handed her 4 chalk boards and said “Do your thing!” The gold polkadot pillow tutorial can be found here.

Here are a few more fall touches around my house:

Filed Under: fall, FEATURED

Spooky Pillow Covers

September 22, 2016 by Amanda Leave a Comment

I love changing out my pillow covers for each season. My living room is blacks and neutrals for Halloween so I wanted some pillows that didn’t scream cheesy Halloween (I put those in the family room!). I found the plaid flannels at Joann Fabrics and the spooky tree print is from Cotton + Steel that I ordered from Fat Quarter Shop. To learn more about sewing an invisible zipper in a pillow, read this. It’s super easy and you can make a pillow cover in a matter of minutes!

I love love love them! They look great with my Hallow’s Eve quilt!!

Filed Under: fat quarter shop, FEATURED, Halloween, pillow

My Favorite Zipper Pouch

September 21, 2016 by Amanda 3 Comments

It’s been a while since I made zipper pouches! I needed 3 gifts to give for the September birthdays on Sally’s soccer team. Instead of going to the store and spending money on the gifts, I stayed home and sewed these darling zipper pouches! I used My Favorite Zipper Pouch Tutorial.