Appleton Dance

I made a set of placemats using the quilt-as-you-go technique that I saw at The Quilt Patch in Tecumseh, Michigan last month. The Quilt Patch models featured a holiday print for the central medallion, but I used a 8-1/4 x 7 teacup block that I pieced using instructions from the "Crazy Little Teapot" quilt in Still Crazy by The Buggy Barn. I used all fabrics from my (recently re-organized) stash to make four 18 x 13 placemats. Materials needed to make one placemat: one central medallion 8-1/4 x 7 inches coordinating backing fabric sized 20 x 15 inches lightweight fiberfill sized 18 x 13 inches iron-on interfacing sized 18 x 13 inches Color A = two pieces 3 x 7 inches Color B = two pieces 1.5 x 7 inches, and  two pieces 15.25 x 1.5 inches Color C = two pieces 2 x 9 inches, and two pieces 18.5 x 2 inches bobbin thread to match backing fabric Recommended: walking foot for sewing machine RST means place fabric pieces with the right sides together Use 1/4-inch s...

I made this shopping tote by simplifying a bag from Cindy Taylor Oates’ Slouchy Bags booklet number TMB-162. This is the "Taylor Made Bag" made quick! This bag is about 9x12x6-inches when packed. The drop on the handle is about 18-inches making it very easy to pack and unpack. The booklet has six or seven easy bags with many variations. You have to trace the full-sized patterns provided in the booklet. I thought the directions were pretty good; I’d say you need a little sewing savvy to follow the instructions, but not a lot. The thing that intrigued me about the bags in this booklet is they are all well-proportioned, useful shapes and the variations and embellishments are interesting. The book cost $15 and was published in 2006 by Oates' company, Taylor Made Designs, P. O. Box 31024, Phoenix, AZ 85046. I bought the booklet last year while on a shop-hop of southeast Michigan quilt stores at The Quilt Patch , 112 N. Evans’ St., Suite #5, Tecumseh, MI 49286. The shop is ver...