More Memory Games!

by Alisa

I'm still going strong on memory games as gifts for babies and little kids. I've made two more sets in last year or so - the first is an update on the 'jolly jungle' set with a cute little pouch and the 2nd is no-sew!

Jolly Jungle Memory Game v2.0

I had enough flannel left over from the previous version of the Jolly Jungle memory game to make a set for a baby shower last December. I followed my original tutorial for the game and added in a pouch and a card with the game instructions. 

The pouch is from the design demonstrated by Sew Very Easy in their "Fat-Quarter Friendly Draw String Bags" video tutorial. The bag is great for this use because it has a handy pocket to hold a card with the instructions for the memory game.  

The instructions for play were adapted from rules for playing Memory.

No-Sew Memory Game

I wanted to make a new memory game for a friend's two-year-old granddaughter so I went looking for fabric and found the "Windy Day" collection from Makower UK. I purchased a yard of the Teal Circles from NovartCreative on Etsy. I purchased the 'foxglove' wool blend felt from Benzie Design on Etsy for the backs.

After some trial-and error in deciding between square or round pieces and whether to stitch or not, I decided to simply fuse the fabric to the felt using Steam-A-Seam 2 fusible webbing sheets and then cutting out squares. I think they will hold up fine and it was simpler than trying to cut and stitch circles!

I wanted a simple pouch to hold the game pieces and after digging around in my stash and not finding anything I purchased a pack of multicolor 5" x 7" organza pouches from Amazon and picked out the pink color to use.

The last time I made this game, I included the instructions on a card I tucked into the pouch pocket, this time I thought I would make another game piece that listed the instructions.  I printed the instructions onto an inkjet fabric sheet that I had on hand and then fused that to the felt and cut to the same size as the pieces. It turned out great!

  

Moda PB&J lap quilt

By Alisa

We are finishing up a 5 year project at work and I have been thinking of making something to commemorate the completion. I ended up making the small quilt below for one of my teammates. It came together really easily and I love how it turned out.

Back in April I was rummaging around looking for something else and came across this single PB&J by BasicGrey for Moda charm pack. I don't remember where or how I got it, but I opened it up and really liked the washed out floral prints so I went on a hunt for more.

The only place I found with any of the fabric was Kammie LouLou. Honestly, I wasn't even sure what I was buying as the site only listed 'quantity'. I crossed my fingers that I was getting three yards of fabric and waited for the package to arrive. When I opened it, I had one yard each of three floral coordinates from the line: Aqua 'Fluffer Nutter'; Red 'Jelly' and Navy 'Picnic'. And, the red was 60" wide!

I wanted to do something simple with the charm pack so I googled around and settled on half-square triangles. I matched up all the charms and sewed 42 blocks. I then laid them out on my design wall in various 5x7 variations until I came up with one I liked.

I ended up with layout with a secondary diamond pattern off-center.

Since I had the most red, I added a 2" red floral border and then a 1.5" navy floral and then started trying out different border/backing combinations to finish off the quilt.

A final 6" border of the red floral was added, the back was cut from the red floral and my mom quilted it for me using Hobbs Heirloom Fusible Crib Size.

She finished it up with the aqua floral binding and a custom tag by Border City Quilts on Etsy.  And, she made a sweet pillowcase to go along with it!

Summer tote using preprinted batting

Summer tote using "Alexandra" pre-printed batting by June Taylor Co.

by Linda Theil

I made this quick-and-easy summer tote bag using quilt-as-you-go preprinted batting by June Taylor Co. that I got on sale from Missouri Star Quilt Co. The finished bag is 15 x 14 x 4-inches. 

https://www.missouriquiltco.com/shop/detail/108145/june-tailor-company/june-tailor/alexandra-tote-bag-quilt-as-you-go-preprinted-batting

As with most purse/tote/wallet patterns, working with a heavy-duty sewing machine is very useful. 

To make this tote you will need backing fabric and batting 21 x 32-inches or approximately 5/8-yard of material. You will need the same sized piece of fabric or patchwork for the outer surface of your tote.

For this project I pulled a selection of fabrics from the "Strawberry Fields Revisited" collection by Fig Tree & Co. for Moda Fabrics, also cuts from Three Sisters Favorites: Lemon & Sea Grass collection also for Moda. If you wish to replicate the look of the tote in this blog post you can evaluate fabrics similar to this collection at Fig Tree & Company.

Auditioning fabrics on the pre-printed batting 

Begin the project by attaching the preprinted batting with spray adhesive to the wrong side of backing fabric. The backing fabric will be the inside of your quilted tote. I chose a half-yard piece of solid coral from my stash for the backing. After gluing the batting to the backing, sew around outside edges of the pattern to secure backing to batting.

This is a drawing of the printed batting, showing placing of the fabric pieces used in the quilt-as-you-go pattern for this tote.

Using the quilt-as-you-go method sew 2.5-inch strips of varying length to the numbered spaces on the pre-printed batting, beginning with number one in the center of the batting -- the cream-colored floral in the center of the photo below. (For more information on quilt-as-you-go technique, see "Quilt-as-you-go placemats" on Appleton Dance weblog.) Also, the purchased pre-printed batting comes with complete directions for making the tote.

Completed 2.5-inch fabric strips added 
quilt-as-you-go method to preprinted batting
 and backing fabric.

Add all fabric strips to batting using the quilt-as-you-go method until the batting is completely quilted.

This is what the backing looks like when it is quilted using the quilt-as-you-go method. The white stitching shows the outline of the bag pattern.

  


Fold completely quilted fabric in half with right-sides-together and stitch up both sides of tote. (I French seamed my side seams, but you can finish your seams by  overstitching with zig-zag stitches if you prefer.)

Fold cut-outs on bottom of tote so that you can stitch straight across open section to make flat bottom on tote. Zig-zag stitch to finish.

Turn tote right-side-out.

Pin handles to tote, five-inches from side seams. Repeat on both sides of tote.

Fold one yard of 2.5-inch-wide binding in half.

Pin raw edges of binding to raw edges of tote top on the inside of the tote. If you want to add a swivel clasp for your keys, unpin one handle and slip swivel clasp over the end of the handle. Re-pin handle, and push clasp out of the way. Using one-quarter-inch seam allowance, sew the binding onto the top of the tote all around, triming to length and overlapping ends before finishing.

Fold binding over raw edges and top-stitch in place, enclosing all handle ends in binding. This is different than the directions that come with the pre-printed batting, which simply apply the handles to the top of the tote after the binding has been applied.

Fold tote handles upward, and zig-zag-stitch in place. Catch swivel clasp between fold and line of zig-zag-stitch to secure. See detail on right. Repeat for all four handle ends.

I enjoyed this project, and thought the preprinted batting was very useful and fun to work with.

UPDATE June 29, 2019:

Quilt-as-you-go tote, reversable

I made Alisa a French-seamed reversible "Strawberry Tote" because she liked the "Strawberry Fields Revisited" fabric by Fig Tree & Co. for Moda Fabrics.

I drew the quilt-as-you-go pattern on a piece of leftover batting, based the design in a Missouri Star Quilt Co. video titled "Make a Quilt as You Go 'Sophie Tote' with Misty from Missouri Star Quilt Co." 

This June Taylor Co. "Sophie Tote" design on pre-printed batting in a is also available as a kit -- like the "Alexandra Tote" shown above.

Here is a photo of the patchwork side of the reversable, quilt-as-you-go "Strawberry Tote".

First Birthday Quilt

Zoe's quilt and pillowcase finished April 2019

by Alisa

Mom and I made a quilt for my niece Zoe's first birthday. It features Love You! fabrics from Sandy Gervais for Moda and a sweet custom tag from Border City Quilts. I designed and pieced the top and turned it over to Grammy for sashing, custom machine quilting, binding and a matching pillowcase!

The quilt is a  modification of the free Criss Cross Quilt pattern by Monique Jacobs for Bluprint in the Crib/Lap size. There is a great video tutorial available from Angela Waters of The Midnight Quilt Show. I really enjoyed making this pattern, it was very forgiving. I had to trim the columns a bit narrower than recommended, but it didn't impact the overall design at all.

For the top, I used a jelly roll from Love You! by Sandy Gervais for Moda along with 1 extra 2 1/2" strip from each of Love You Arrows Aqua and Love You Arrows Multi yardage. The top and bottom borders and the backing are 2 yards of Bella Solids yardage in White Bleached. The binding is cut from a yard of Love You Small Hearts Lipstick yardage. Batting is Warm and Natural from Warm Company.

Mom made the coordinating pillowcase from her Burrito-style holiday pillowcases tutorial using the Love You collection fabrics: Arrows Aqua, Arrows Multi and Small Hearts Lipstick.

Zoe turns one in May, we hope she likes her quilt!