Short On Time?

It's that time of year that we are busy running around getting ready for the holidays. If you are like me, time is short and you are trying to cram as much as possible into your days. Well I've got a quick gift for you to make and I bet you already have what you need to make it in your fabric stash! Plus, spending some quiet time in your sewing room stitching will help you destress. So grab a cup of coffee and lets go do some sewing.

After you set your coffee down, go dig thru your fabric for a Charm Pack. Don't have a Charm Pack but lots of cute fabric, cut out a bunch of 5" squares. What? you say... no pattern. No not really, this is what I call mindless sewing. For my table runner I used a cute Christmas Charm pack that I've been hoarding for a few years. I used 30 squares from the package. I separated them out between light and dark so my table runner would be scrappy. I decided I would make my runner 3 x 10 squares. You can make yours longer or shorter, it's up to you!

I did not preplan how to sew my squares together, I just started sewing. I like to listen to audiobooks while I sew. I'm currently listening to a Stephen King book. Take this time to relax and stitch. Put on some Christmas music if you'd like. 

I like to chain sew... here I have my squares stitched together going 'one direction'.  I will then sew the 'rows' together, nesting my seams.

All ready to give my table runner a good press.

Now go back to your stash and dig around for something that can be used for the binding. I found this adorable fabric that worked well with the Charm Pack I used it even though they were from different designers. I then cut 2 1/2" strips for the border of my runner.

I sew the borders onto the long sides, then trim and iron. Then sew the border onto the two short ends, trim and press. Then layer your table runner top with the batting and backing and quilt. Scrap batting works well for this! I bet you have some left over from another project! I used my embroidery machine and quilted a cute holiday quilt design to the center. While that quilted I worked on binding another Christmas gift. 

After you are done quilting it's time to rummage thru your fabric stash again and find some fabric for the binding. I found a fat quarter that would work well with mine. I cut  2 1/2" strips for the binding, sewed them end to end then irons in in half lenthwise for the binding.

Sew the binding on using a 1/4" seam, remember to miter your corners.

Since I'm short on time, I just flipped the binding to the back and stitched in the ditch making sure to 'catch' the binding on the back side. In this picture you can also see the free motion quilting I did on the border, a holly leaf garland.

~ Charm Pack Table Runner ~

I hope that you find some time to make this fun table runner. Take some time for yourself and stitch! I'm really pleased with how mine turned out. I'm thinking I will be keeping this for myself. It looks so cute on my kitchen table with my snowflake lantern and gnome!

Happy quilting,

Cindy and Belvedere

Bed for New Puppy...

Since the loss of our sweet Wilson last winter, the house has been not quite the same. I miss our goofy boy and Maddie could use a companion too. Although I know that we can't replace Wilson, our family has gotten used to being a two dog family.  We miss juggling two dogs for our morning walks. I miss Wilson talking to me like Scooby doo when he needed something. Our home just isn't quite the same. So.....we have decided to get a new puppy and have been on a waiting list for a basset hound since April. Our family has been waiting patiently for a new puppy to join our family. I've become a bit of a stalker with the breeders website... looking for birth announcements and pictures. We hope to be able to pick out our newest family member in a couple of weeks and a new four legged friend will join our family mid August. I feel like an expectant mommy and have been thinking about our new little puppy constantly. To pass the time I've been buying basset hound memorabilia, I have a new basset hound mommy mug, a couple sets of salt and pepper shakers and even a cookie jar. My husband just smiles. Oh yeah, hubby got a basset hound themed t-shirt for his birthday. We've even picked out names.... Belvedere, being at the top of the name list. My hubby likes the idea of yelling...." Belvedere... come here boy...." Remember the looney toons cartoon.... Why a basset hound? Well, my hubby has always been fond of them and it's his turn to choose since I picked out (rescued) the last two family dogs. Basset Hounds are adorable with their floppy ears and wrinkles. I am charmed by their long ears, sad eyes and wrinkles... this is going to be one spoiled rotten puppy. (Or well loved...)

To pass the time I even made a doggy bed for the new puppy. It was super easy to do and it turned out adorable! All it took was an old pillow, a charm pack and a couple of accent fabrics... and just a free afternoon. I put a spin on a burrito pillowcase to make the dog bed.

This is the perfect fabric charm pack for my

pillowcase - dog bed...

These are my accent colors... the dark is the trim and the

light color is the cuff...

Sew the 5" charm pack squares together, remember to mix the fabrics up a bit...

I made a 5 square by 8 square rectangle...

Lay the 1/3 yard cuff fabric out right side up.

Then lay a 2" strip wof (folded in half and ironed) on top...

Lay your rectangle sheet on top right sides and 'long' side together.

Pin in place....

Trim excess cuff and trim fabric....

Tightly roll up the body of the pillowcase.

(Pieced rectangle)

Fold the cuff up around the rolled up 'body' and pin in place

matching up the edge.

Sew a 1/4" seam.... 

Turn your pillowcase inside out...

Iron.

With wrong sides together sew the side and bottom seam

of the pillowcase.

Turn inside out and then sew a 3/8" seam along the side

and bottom of pillowcase. Turn right side out, iron.

You're done!!!

"This isn't quite big enough for me... are you making another one?"

The perfect little dog bed... waiting for a perfect little puppy...

Its a great way to repurpose an old pillowcase and this way the pillow and doggie themed pillowcase are washable. It is a puppy after all. A sweet little hound dog... 

A pdf copy of this adorable pet bed, pillowcase can be found in my Etsy shop and also in my Craftsy shop. This is a great project for a beginner or young quilter. A really fun project for the experienced quilter too! Now I'm off to check the breeder's website and do some more nesting... The puppies are about 3 weeks old now and completely adorable!

Happy Quilting,

Cindy