Mini Sewing Station with Portable Design Wall and Ironing Station

How many times do you think I will run downstairs just to sew for 10-15 minutes?  If you guessed almost never....you are 100% right!!!  What I need is a mini-sewing station all set up with a project so if I have 10 or 15 minutes I can just sew a few blocks.  That is exactly what I've done and I even made myself a portable ironing station and design wall.

I had bought a set of 4 wooden TV trays at a garage sale last year for $5 with the intent on making an ironing station.  I made one for my main sewing area but now I need a portable one....so I got out some Insul-Bright and used some tacks to tack it to the top of the TV tray. 

 I used tacks to put the Insul-Bright so it would be permanent.  I then used a staple gun to cover it with fabric. 

 This way if I get anything yucky on my ironing surface I can change out the fabric and not have to change the Insul-Bright.

One portable ironing station at your service :)

What about a design wall that is lightweight and portable?  I got this tip from Lois while I was at the Lake House Retreat.  I took my 72 x 72 Quilt Wall and used some pant hangers to make my own lightweight portable design wall. 

 In order to be able to hang it anywhere I needed some 3 M Command Strips....good thing I keep a supply of those around :)

 I like Command Strips because when I pull on the tab....the white part I have my thumb under....it is removed from the wall and it doesn't leave a mark.  No one ever knows it was there.

I can take the design wall anywhere with me ....just fold it up and it's good to go.

I couldn't resist putting up my Valentine Wall hanging....just for the pix....but you can also see that I put some vintage blocks I have on the wall....it holds the blocks without using pins. 

Now when I have a few minutes, I have this nice little sewing table in my front room so I can just sew a few blocks while I'm waiting for the school bus.  I bet I get this quilt done a whole lot faster than I would have otherwise.

That's what I'm up to...what are you up to?

Simple Choices by Abbey Lane Quilts Book Review and Giveaway

Simple Choices by Abbey Lane Quilts

How about a quick and pretty easy quilt that you customize yourself?  The girls from Abbey Lane Quilts have made that so easy to do with their new book, Simple Choices.  There are 5 different block styles and they are combined with 5 different appliques and two trim options.  All you do is choose the block style you like best and then an applique (or combine appliques) to make your own fun quilt.    

How about this fun stocking cap quilt....you could also alternate and put snowmen on the quilt too...it snowed here finally so that's all I can think about.

The Pinwheel Block is a perfect anytime quilt.  Simple Choices offers full size applique templates for  a bird, bright flower, haunted house, the stocking caps and the circles.  One book, 25 different quilt options, and that doesn't include any of the options you can insert with other appliques you may already have and love.  Talk about endless recipes to cook up some fun quilts...they're all here inside Simple Choices.  There are cutting and sewing instructions with lots of diagrams as well....you can't go wrong! 

I think this is a charming book and I'd love to share an autographed copy with an IHAN blog follower compliments of Abbey Lane Quilts.  If you would like an opportunity to enter the drawing just leave a comment on this post before Wednesday, February 15th.

Switching topics here....

We've been invaded by tiny warriors here at IHAN.

Check out all these little figures....they are just too funny.

If you look closely you can see in front of all these warriors the boys have set up a tiny cannon...yep...they are going to set off the tiny cannon and knock down all these little guys they've set up.  It has to be testosterone that causes this sort of play....everything is a battle and there are always some sort of little figures being knocked over....boy play.

Check out his little Lego guy....I cracked up when I saw him....he is sort of frail looking....check out his back....

What is sticking out this guys backside? I honestly don't know....but it is definitely interesting!!!

It snowed here last evening so the boys have been making their own personal snow hill.

Most folks shovel their sidewalks and driveways....not us....we actually shovel the grass too.  There isn't enough snow to make a big snow hill so we shoveled it from all over the yard....this doesn't feel like "real" winter.

As I drove home today I had to check out what the Flamingos were up to....thought you might want to know how they are too.......

I didn't know Flamingos made igloos....but apparently they do :)

Smiles,

Kelly

Lake House Retreat Feb. 2012 Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Lake House Retreat

Ann...the lady behind these blocks...is an amazing woman and these are some blocks she was making for a friends grandchild.  What are pix without a good story right?

Let me tell you a bit about Ann and how she and I met......I was 40 years old...yes 40 and my husband's employer had gone bankrupt so he and I sold our home and went to PA to stay with his parents for what we thought would be 4-6 weeks. Aaron was 22 months old and Zach was 5 months old. I arrive in PA and the boys got sick....you know how Mom's with babies can be....especially two little ones....no matter what my age, I was still a "new Mom."

I went into the pediatrician's office and we are seen by the Nurse Practitioner. This woman, Ann, explains everything that is going on with the boys....tells me how the medication will or won't work and provides me with enough information to feel confident that I can handle the situation and where to call if something unexpected happens. I wanted to hug her.....in my heart.... Ann is the Guardian Angel of young Mothers....she gave me strength when I needed it and has given me 7 years of wisdom since that first meeting. The world is a much brighter place because Ann is in it!

 This is a much better photo of Ann....she is the first gal in the photo....followed by another angel...Kay...then by two other lovely women Donna and Leona.

 Here are a few more of those blocks....I think they are so cute.  The baby will have all those textures to play with too...the ric-rac and the layered fabrics....that's one lucky baby :)

 Another scrap quilt made by MJ.  She and I played with fabrics for the sashing and borders on Friday night....it took a few different pieces until we came upon one that worked well.  There are very few pieces of anything interesting left in her scrap basket....trust me...I had to search to find a little piece for my Cathedral Windows practice piece.

This is the view from the back of the Lake House....it is absolutely beautiful...I love the mountains of PA......I kept taking photos of where I was so I could take you all along with me...through the pictures.

Panning the camera to the left from the back porch of the Lake House....more beauty.

 Then back to MJ's after the retreat....while driving from the Lake House to MJ's I had this thought....
If I were to ever go to jail ....it needs to be in PA....even a 20 year sentence would end in what feels like a week.....because I was here for 4 days and it went by in 15 minutes....time goes faster in PA than anywhere in the world....honestly!  I blinked and now I'm here in Perrysburg writing a blog post...how did that happen?  (I guess I'm starting to sound like my Grandmother...she always said she didn't know where the time went.)

 A view of the mountain behind MJ's house....even with the dark gray skys...it is a beautiful place.

On my way out of town....I made a quick pit stop.....I just wanted to see Ann one more time and she is not too far from the freeway....so I drove quickly up that moutain that she lives on to give her another hug.  Many of you long-timers will remember the post of me chasing the chickens at Ann's house.  This is her chicken coop.....and I thought I'd brag to all my other friends that I know a woman who owns her own gated community.....folks don't necessarily need to know the "gated community" is a community of chickens....:)

As I was driving off Ann's mountain....I looked down the road and there were several deer crossing the road.....good thing I'm quick with a camera....

Back home to my monkeys....of course I made a hat for each one of them....

 they love their hats and Zach wore his the entire evening....

 where does the time go?

I've had a lot of inquiries as to the pattern for the quilt that these gals made....I called it the PA block...this is what the quilts look like:

The girls did a block swap....and it can be made in any size.  Here is the link to the instructions published by Quilter's Newsletter back in Sept. of 04. 

I think the girls made 10 blocks each month and 10 alternate blocks so each person got one set each month.  I heard it was a challenge keeping track of who had done what and perhaps if each person participating got a set a month or had a large enverlope with their name on it and a set was put in each month...with one person keeping track of the month and the persons name.

I wish I had participated....and I don't have the organizational skills or time to organize a block swap like this one....but if anyone wants to start a group...please let me know because I would love to make a quilt like this one.

Smiles,

Kelly

Lake House Retreat Feb. 2012 Second Chapter

Chapter Two ...at the Lake House

 Lois brought this wall hanging for a show and tell.  I think it was her guild who had a challenge...to make a tree quilt that reflects yourself.  I thought it was a neat idea.  Lois said the autumn colors represents that she is in the autumn of her life.  She quilted leaves throughout and on the back....

 she wrote things she likes and things that represent her....isn't that a great idea? 

Lois and Eleanor working in front of the beautiful windows and some real characters in the background...LOL.

 I brought my featherweight and realized it didn't come with a 1/4 inch foot.  Then my girlfriend said....be sure your 1/4 inch is the same if you started the quilt on another machine.  OH BOY am I glad she said that!!!  I just changed back to my newer machine to avoid any potential problems...the last thing I want is a varation in my seam allowances.

Eleanor had read that if you put 1/4 cup of cheap vodka into 2 cups of water it is as good as Best Press.  So...she went to work with a blind study of her own.  She cut three squares and on one she put nothing, on 2 she put Best Press and on 3 she sprayed the vodka and water.  After pressing each piece she went around and had each of us feel the fabrics and vote on which one we thought was on the fabric....sort of like a Pepsi/Coke taste test sort of thing.

 The results?  Most folks picked out the Best Press but it was clean it was very difficult to tell the difference.  I think I was the only one who said there was something on a piece of fabric with nothing on it....so you know I'm not reliable when it comes to the blind tests....now if she had let me lick the fabric...I would have known for sure!!!  I guess if one is uses the water and vodka....at least if you screw up your stitches you can just take off the sprayer and begin drinking to relieve your frustrations.

I got a big bang out of this one.  Brenda had discovered you can buy Valentine candy corn.  Personally I don't care for candy corn but apparently there is a sincere appreciation for these tri-colored little triangles.  You may note....this is breakfast...YES...first thing in the morning...

 Bonnie and Brenda proudly showing off the candy corn ...all at breakfast....perhaps it provides just the right amount of fuel necessary to spend the day sewing....because that is what they both did :)

 This Marj's quilt that she was working on last year at retreat.  She paper pieced this one and I know she must be really glad it is finished....I know I would be!

 Another on of Marj's quilts.  This is her Baltimore Album quilt finished.  The Tuesday Applique Group (all of these gals and a few more) meet every Tuesday.  Last year they decided they would each make a needle turn Baltimore Album quilt....several have finished them.  I was told my MJ that I probably shouldn't consider starting one....even through I wish I had made one....she was and is right about me not starting one because I'd just feel bad that they other gals had theirs done and I'd still be on my first block.  Perhaps another time in my life.....I'm looking forward to doing one....someday :)

Marj's Pennsylvania Block quilt....they all came out so nice.....

 and one of Marj's UFO's completed. 

 Donna made this quilt from the book, Birds of a Feather.  She brought fabric to pre-view for the border....

 I think she found one she liked and will probably have this one finished the next time I see her.  I can't wait.

This is a charity quilt made by the girls....these are just flip and sew squares....

 you take strips of fabric and sew them to a piece of flanel or muslin and just sew and flip....and then they cut them and re-pieced them.  This is a great way to use up a ton of scraps.  It seems no matter what the fabric looks like it always looks good on these quilts.

 Chris brought some hand applique ...I think it is one of her Baltimore Album quilt blocks...but I can't remember for sure.

 Here it doesn't look like much...but when Chris gets the fabric cut away and stitched this will be one stunning block. 

 Bonnie brought a little treat for everyone....and we found them on our machines....soooo sweet!

Bonnie also introduced me to a new tool...the Clover Ball Point Awl.  Lets just say some un-named President of our guild had a few blocks that needed to be un-assembled...LOL.  Bonnie and I offered to assist in the process to make it less painful for the sewer...(giggling).   Bonnie pulled out her Clover Ball Point Awl.  I had never seen one before so you know I was curious.

 I wondered what made this Awl different from the one's I have and I'm telling you this is one nifty tool....leave it to Clover to have another wonderful tool.

 Check out the tip....it is rounded so it won't poke into your fabric and Bonnie just slipped it under the stitches and pulled them out.  She said she loves it when she does her machine quilting....Brilliant!!

A retreat wouldn't be complete without June the massuse.  June gives the best massage I've ever had in my life...and I've had quite a few.  I don't go to PA without a visit to see June.  Her idea of a full body massage is 2 hours....no kidding.  Joyce called June and scheduled her to come on Saturday afternoon....anyone who wanted one got a chair massage.  All I can say is the girls on the list after me were really lucky I ever got out of that chair....I'm talking bliss....all muscles relaxed afterwards.

More soon....

Smiles,
Kelly
ps...I clicked on spell check...nothing came up...I bet it is just down right now so if you see something spelled in an intersting fashion...I ment to do that!