Quilting on the Go

I gave up on the crochet project last week. Sorry na. I got so impatient and moved onto a quilt project I've been eyeing to do. 

Since the design is too small for machine sewing, I decided to do it whenever Miggy has a scheduled exercise session. I couldn't find my "airplane sewing kit," so I just used an old card case. I used to do this a lot when I was traveling for work. It attracted a lot of aunties on the plane and they would excitedly ask me what I was making. Haha.

I also revived an old jewelry display board I used when I was into bead making. I tore off the old felt paper cover and used the leftover felt fabric from the vintage case I refurbished a few months ago. It's been useful to layout the small fabric pieces on it. It helps me from making mistakes. 

Hope to finish the project soon!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Quilts in Progress

Oh boy, I lost track of time and here I am cramming today post. LOL. I was going to post about something else, but it needs additional research, so thought I'd just share what I'm currently working on.

I've made progress with my Pokemon Pikachu quilt project. Since it's much bigger than I intended, I'm going to make it into a wall hanging. I have that on my quilt wish list. I always wanted to make art for our home and the size of this quilt is perfect. I just sandwiched it with batting today and I plan to hand quilt it. Ah, that's probably where I'll take time again. (Update: here's how I made the Pikachu Quilt)

My other project is a runner for my piano. I've been meaning to make one for it for a few months now. It's a peppermint inspired Christmas quilt. I'm having fun making it since I like making pinwheels.

Yay!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Made a Quilted Gift for My Doctor

My doctors have been caring for me really well. They are all quite new since I moved back home and had to find new doctors. I always observe their clinics to find clues on what I could possibly gift them. I noticed not all my doctors have patient beds where they do physical checks. One did and had a pillow which I thought needed a new case.

I brought a tape measure and asked permission from my doctor if I could measure the pillow. I told her I wanted to make a throw pillow case for it. The last time I made one was for my cardiologist in Singapore. He was so stoked he actually put my work on a frame. It now hangs in his office (haha). 

I worked on the quilted throw pillow case between my vaccinations (haha). I wanted to make sure I'd be able to give it to her on my next appointment. I made a fairly easy design, but challenged myself by making small heart accents. That's where I got stuck for awhile. It wasn't perfect, but still looked like hearts (haha). I figured the patients who'd see it won't notice anyway since they'll be busy with the doctor. 

I handed it to my doctor and she was happy with the surprise. She immediately asked her assistant to put it on the pillow. Maybe I'll see it next time I come back for my next vaccination :)

Here's how I made the project:

Measurements and how to: https://www.needleadventures.com/2024/09/quilted-throw-pillow-case-for-doctor.html

#BeKind #StaySafe

Made a Quilted Monochromatic Tote Bag

I was on a roll making tote bags. This one is a belated birthday gift. I thought it would be easy, but it was challenging to find fabric to complete the look I wanted. I also had to get Miggy to help me lay out the fabric since I wasn't getting the gradient I wanted. I was stuck there for awhile, but eventually finished it. 

Here's how I made it:

And here's my friend, Anne. I made her pose against an artwork at a hotel which looked a bit similar to the bag (just a different color).

*Thanks for indulging me to pose, haha. 

More information about how to make this bag: https://www.needleadventures.com/2024/08/quilted-monochromatic-tote-bag.html

#BeKind #StaySafe

Made Multiple Hearts

I like making heart quilts. I saw this really cute heart quilt on Pinterest a few years ago. It took me awhile to figure out the measurements, but that's part of the fun whenever I make a quilt project. For this summer I thought I'd make different quilt projects using this design. 

The least thing I like doing whenever I make quilt projects is measuring and cutting fabric! I know it could be easier if I use a roller blade to cut fabric, but I'm scared of the roller blade (plus I'm a bleeder). I also noticed that roller blades get dull easily. I'm probably not using it correctly, so I just cut fabric the traditional way (ruler + scissors). It takes longer, but it's a safer way for me. 

So I got busy the past week measuring and making multiple hearts. Here's how I made it:

After I'm done making multiple hearts I'll work on several cute projects. There's going to be a disruption though since we need to vacate the basement again for some repairs. It means I need to empty my craft room again. Gah.

Measurements available on my sewing blog: https://www.needleadventures.com/2024/03/make-multiple-heart-quilts.html

#BeKind #StaySafe

Made a Star Wars Themed Quilted Cover

Finally got around to making a quilt cover for a bench at home. I originally had it made for my craft room, but we moved it to the family room where it fit better. I wanted to make a cover for it to prolong the lifespan of the pink cover. It would be expensive to have it cleaned often, so the best way to prolong it's life is to cover it. 

I wanted the cover to be colorful, so I matched the Star Wars fabric with orange, yellow, blue and green. I originally thought it would be too flashy, but Miggy said the accent went well with the theme. I thought I could finish the project in two to three weeks. It stretched to almost six weeks since I had other things to do at home, plus we had to work on our health. 

It turned out well, but I think I'll delay making another one later this year (we have two benches haha). I also want to make seat covers for the sofa set (that's going to be a super huge project). I'm still thinking about making it a modern quilt or a traditional one. I'll probably do a modern one since it's for our home anyway. 

Here's six weeks of work turned into a six minute tutorial video:

More info about this quilt project on my sewing blog: https://www.needleadventures.com/2024/03/star-wars-themed-quilt-cover-for-bench.html

#BeKind #StaySafe

Best of My 2023 Quilt Projects

Consistently working on my quilt projects proved to be challenging last year. I had to evacuate my maker room a couple of times. After storing my supplies, I eventually set-up a "satellite" sewing table in the family room. I spend more time there with Sweetie so we could save up on electricity. 

To warm up, I made new curtains for the kitchen. I love using swiss dot fabric! I originally wanted to have proper curtains made for our living room, but the cost is so steep! I can make 30 sets of curtains from the price I was quoted, so I'll just continue to make our own to save and have fun. Anyway, I made another set for the kitchen last October. Still used swiss dot fabric, but I used corn blue this time. 

By April, I started on my cat quilt projects. I needed new covers for my kitchen appliances. I also wanted to learn to make new patterns. Went to Pinterest for inspiration and from that I managed to make covers for my KitchenAide stand mixer, blender and food processor. 

After the cat themed quilt project. I rested for two months. My arm hurt and I realized I shouldn't sew by hand too much. When my arm healed, I resumed by making a special Sanrio themed project. I made a customized laptop sleeve and pouch for a friend. I was so relieved when she told me her laptop fit perfectly!

The second theme for the year was making useful items from the scrap fabric I've collected for a couple of years now. I was able to make a lot of projects out of it: potholder, small wallet, essential oil pouch, coffee pot rug, coaster, notebook cover, pincushion and tablet case. I could've gone on and on, but I knew it was time to work on my Christmas theme projects. 

Just before I started work on my holiday projects, I made a special baby pinwheel quilt for my nephew's daughter. I finally busted out the special fabric I bought in Japan a few years ago. I knew I wanted to use the fabric for a baby quilt. I wanted the colors to be something my Mom would have used. I paired the special fabric with apricot fabric from Singapore and wadding from Australia. 

I ended up just making two holiday quilted items. I got sick so I was useless for six weeks! I still managed to make a holiday pinwheel potholder and Santa potholder. Will just make more for Christmas this year and will probably start earlier!

You can watch tutorials on how I made these projects on this playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOKtaK29-LI6EWUsXEE6LReY2UDY_RsME&si=JKS97LeC515X1uhr

I'm happy I was able to do a number of projects last year. It kept my hands and mind busy. I look forward to seeing what I'll come up with this year!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Retaso Project 5: Coaster from Tiny Scraps

The tiny triangle scrap fabric seemed bottomless. They came from making bias tape. Took me awhile to sort them and that made it easier to plan what to do. What I didn't anticipate was how small they were once pieced together. Each square was just 0.5" x 0.5" after piecing it together with others. Tried matching all the scraps and it didn't look nice. 

Then I asked myself, "What would Mom do?" Mom wouldn't have touched such tiny pieces, haha. I think should would have instead used it for her paper projects as accents. She'd probably turn them into a flower. I was bent on creating something from it. I was able to make a 3.5" x 3.5" square out of a set. The best thing to do with it is make a coaster.

One can never have enough coasters at home. They are like pens that magically disappear after some use. So I think that's what I'll do when I collect tiny triangles again or other smaller scraps. I haven't even done a crazy quilt yet. Maybe I'll do that for the other scraps. 

Turned out quite okay. The imperfections were masked by the black scrap fabric. The triangles weren't the same size, so it was really difficult to piece together. It was fun to do nonetheless. Hmm, I still have more tiny triangles. Let's see what I can come up with next week.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Retaso Project 1: Quilted Potholder

I've been collecting scrap fabric for a few years now. I set it aside since quilt projects don't require huge pieces of fabric. There are times also that I have excess pieced together fabric from projects. While cleaning up my sewing area I found several pieced together denim like fabric from the cat quilt projects I made last quarter. 

Looked at the size of the scrap (retaso) and realized I could make a potholder out of it. It's been awhile since I made potholders. The ones I have in the kitchen are still good, but they've been washed several times already and are showing wear and tear. 

TBH, I was tempted to skip filming, but the primary audience of my quilting/sewing vids is actually MYSELF. Yes, I watch my videos so I can re-learn from it and improve my skills. I recently re-watched my tote bag video because I had to figure out how to add lining to the pouch. 

Anyway, the potholder was pretty straightforward to make. Since it was scrap from the kitchen covers I made, it matches the kitties around the kitchen. Here's how I made the potholder:

I finished it in one sitting since it was practically ready to be quilted. I also used scrap wadding and scrap insulating wadding. The potholder looks thin, but the insulating wadding is really effective at keeping the head out. Maybe I'll make a mitten once my retaso (scrap) projects are done. 

Let's see what I can make next :)

More info on https://www.needleadventures.com/2023/09/scrap-fabric-project-1-potholder.html

#BeKind #StaySafe

Zipper Practice! Made a Quilted Pouch

Thought I'd match the quilted laptop sleeve I made for my friend with a small pouch. She could use it as a pencil case or for knick-knacks. It would fit the pocket of the laptop sleeve or she could put it in her bag. I originally wanted to make a pot holder or coaster, but she probably won't use it. My friends who I gave mug rugs ended up just displaying the project. They said it's too precious (hehe). I want to make items that are useful, so I thought a pouch/pencil case would be better to make. 

I also wanted to improve my skills. I have a friend who makes amazing bags in all shapes and sizes, with zippers! So this project was meant to test my zipper skills. It did not disappoint because I made a mistake adding the lining. I had to remove the stitches and that took at least 30 minutes, hahaha. 

The project just took one night to make. I made it while watching some YouTube videos. It was a great way to be productive and it required me to move between the family room (where I sew now) and my maker room (where all my stuff is). We were home bound the past week anyway because of the typhoon. This week I have to schedule my pulmo rehab. Hopefully no more typhoons for the time-being. 

Well, here's how I made the pouch with a zipper -

 

Special thanks to Sweetie for lending me his toy studio so I could take a nicer photo of the project, hehe. Here's how it looks under ispesyal lights -

More info on how to make this pouch at:

https://www.needleadventures.com/2023/09/quilted-pouch-with-sleeve.html

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Little Twin Stars Quilt Project (Laptop Sleeve)

I looked for Little Twin Stars fabric when I found out from a friend that she likes them. I have fond memories of Little Twin Stars because my Ate used to keep her trinkets in Little Twin Stars boxes on her dresser. I eventually inherited one of the boxes because I kept nagging (I think Mom gave them to me when she left for the US). 

The Little Twin Stars fabric was a bit hard to find. I didn't have that many options when I found it online. I think more options are available in Tomato in Tokyo. Anyway, after months of debating on what I should make for my friend, I eventually decided on a laptop sleeve. I think it'll be useful and she can use it everyday. 

Of course, a quilt isn't a quilt if you don't add other fabrics to it. I asked Miggy for help since he's good with colors. After finding out what laptop my friend used, I then proceeded to design and plan the project. I just made it simple so that the Little Twin Stars fabric would stand out.

The challenging part was making sure that the wadding would be one big piece. I wanted the wadding to help make the sleeve stable. And I also wanted to integrate a pocket in the sleeve. That's something I've never done for the sleeves I previously made (about 5 years ago?). I also had to avoid doing any hand sewing since my arm has just healed. So my other aim was to have clean machine stitches (yes, I still usually make a mess of it). 

I think it turned out well. I hope my friend likes it and finds it useful. Here's how I made it -

Measurements, pattern and process at https://www.needleadventures.com/2023/08/little-twin-stars-quilted-laptop-sleeve.html

#BeKind #StaySafe

Creative Happy Tuesdays: Craft the Year Away!

I had fun developing new skills last year as I went through my sewing projects. I learned how to make curtains, finished my tshirt quilt project, a cover for my oxygen concentrator, and a Christmas tree skirt. I also made a couple of potholders and a Christmas placemat.  The only "artwork" I made was the pink vinta project. I wasn't able to finish my other Christmas projects and gave up on the planned handmade gifts, haha. 

What I learned though is to aim for the moon. Aim high so if you don't finish, you still get good results. I took so long finishing the tshirt quilt and I normally rest between major projects*. My craft room was also inaccessible for more than a month during renovation (it's not done yet). My overall plan for this year is to make more useful smaller projects. 

I created a long list of projects I want to make back in 2021. Good thing I wrote it in a notebook. The list kept growing because I'd get inspired from my craft books and Pinterest. There's so many cute stuff in it and I know I always learn when I create something. 

Here's what I'll prioritize this year:

1. New covers for my kitchen appliances and O2 concentrator.
2. Cover/blanket for the benches.
3. Finish the dining room seat cover and make a non-Christmas one.
4. Throw pillow covers for our currently non-existent sofa (lol)
5. Make more pot holders.
6. New curtains 
7. Make essential oil holders (been meaning to do this since 2020!)
8. Key holders 
9. Oven gloves (I got this huge roll of heat resistant wadding which needs to be used!)
10. Experimental projects, a wall hanging and something that requires a zipper. 

And note to self, if giving away handmade gifts, start making them in Q2! 

#BeKind #StaySafe

*Gotta prevent trigger finger and arm pain

Creative Happy Tuesdays: Christmas is Coming!

After browsing through my quilt books and Pinterest, I finally decided the theme for my holiday quilts. It's going to be all about Santa! I have a pretty ambitious list of things I want to make so I thought I'd make it easy to make. 

It usually takes me 1 to 2 days to just cut fabric, a few hours to piece things together (if I'm using the sewing machine), another day or two to sandwich the quilt and another day or two to prepare and work on  the binding. I found it more efficient to bunch up the work because it's faster. 

Working on a small space forced me to find a more efficient way to enjoy my hobby. My sewing table functions as my cutting area, ironing table, sewing area, sandwiching area and dining area. Yup, since it could get very warm during the day we also eat in the craft room. We used to use the family room, but the lights need to be fixed. 

I'm pretty happy how I assembled the placemats. I just used fabric that I already have and used old mattress protectors instead of wadding. I'm bent also on re-using old sheets as backing (must find ways to save since things are quite expensive nowadays). It will take a bit more time to finish it since I need to figure out how to attach the "belt buckle". I also always procrastinate when it comes to binding because I make them from scratch. 

My seat cover project is currently on a standstill. I was able to piece it together and sandwich it already. I struggled a bit making Santa's moustache. I'm now stuck figuring out how to make the nose and the tip of Santa's hat. I'm still practicing how to make it, so far I'm not happy with the result. 

Have to get moving on my projects since I have to evacuate the craft room by end of the week. I hope the contractor will be ready to install the cabinets next week. Yay!

#BeKind #StaySafe #CreativeHappyTuesdays

Creative Happy Tuesdays: A Peek at My Christmas Projects

Google Photos reminded me that I started the Christmas tree skirt on September 9, 2021. I had planned to finish it during quarantine. The 9 days were cut down to 6 though and I ended up sleeping through it, haha. I didn't finish the tree skirt because I was dilly-dallying over the fabric I used. I wasn't sure if they looked good. 

I was about to start making some place mats, but I was distracted with the seat cover offerings on a shopping platform. I couldn't find any that would fit my fat dining chairs so I decided to make my own. The funny thing is I ended up using the same fabric as the tree skirt, so I guess I'm going to stick to it now. I'm on a "use what you have" phase. 

Pieced together the seat cover design the past few days and spent the weekend sandwiching it. My goal for this project is to use what I have on hand. I was able to use leftover wadding from previous projects. I don't throw out wadding I've cut because I can still use the tiny pieces as filling. Those will go into the nose and the hat. Maybe I'll make small noses also for the tree skirt. 

I'm going to lose access to my craft room soon since the contractor will be fixing it. I need to pack everything again and this means I need to plan what I could work on for the next six weeks! Hope my projects turn out okay. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Creative Happy Tuesdays: The First Quilt Project I Made

We've been slowly going through our boxes and crates. Sweetie moved around some boxes and I caught a glimpse of something familiar. At the bottom of a crate I saw the first quilt project I made. I think I made it when I was a sophomore in high school. 

My first quilt project, circa 1990.

When I dug it out of the crate I was surprised to see it was still intact. It was one of the few things I kept after typhoon Ondoy put everything I owned under water. It was a quilt bag I made by hand. Mom cut it from retaso from Tita Maming's clothing export business. She used to export clothes to Japan and would give retaso to my Mom. It was one of the reasons my Mom had learned to quilt. She learned it by reading a book she got from the US, then she taught me (here's how she taught me). 

If I remember correctly, Mom taught me how to quilt during summer. She started by teaching me how to piece together squares. It eventually grew and I was able to piece together enough to make a bag. Mom bought the handle from Divisoria. I had to much fun making the bag I used it as a school bag. 

My lunch bag, circa 1990 too.

To match the bag, Mom had me make a lunch bag. I used that everyday also and I'm sure my lunchmates would still remember the bag. I also did the whole thing by hand and it even had some lace on it. I'm really surprised it's still intact and useful. If you notice from the bags, it didn't have any binding. Mom was the one who closed it for me (that's why the edges are clean). I only learned how to use binding a few years ago. 

I'm really glad my Mom taught me all these crafts. It was different every summer, crochet, embroidery, making bags from plastic straws, quilting, paper mache, beading etc. It was my Mama Lola though who taught me how to use a sewing machine. I wish though she taught me how to sew clothes. We were taught in sewing class, but I never really figured it out. 

I really enjoy keeping my hands busy. I've actually been spending less time online because I'd rather be busy with my crafts or garden. I'm currently working on making a cover for my oxygen concentrator. Once I finish it, I'll start planning for Christmas since I work so slowly. I wanted to make another quilt blanket, but since the t-shirt memory quilt took up 6 months of my quilting time I won't do one for now. 

It was nice to find the bags. Maybe I'll have it framed and I'll hang it here in my craft room :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

Creative Happy Tuesdays: Mug Rug

Pretty soon it's going to be Christmas again! Memes of Jose Mari Chan have been gracing the stream again. This tells me it's time to start thinking about Christmas. I really like making gifts instead of buying. I wasn't able to make any last year because we were so busy moving back and moving homes. 

I made mug rugs once and I think I sent cheese cupcakes with it. Most of my friends though used it for decor haha. They said it was too cute and precious to use to keep their mugs warm! Haha. 

Here's how I made it -

More information on how I made it is on m y craft blog: https://www.needleadventures.com/2021/02/how-to-make-quilted-mug-rug.html

I quilted and did some embroidery on the project. I like adding some embroidery to it for fun! I need to look through my list to figure out what to make this year :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

Creative Happy Tuesdays: T-Shirt Memory Quilt Blanket is Done!

Woohoo! I finally finished my t-shirt memory quilt blanket! I started working on this on May 11, 2019! I worked on it on and off because the materials were in Manila. I eventually brought it to Singapore in January 2020. Thought I'd finish it there, but I didn't since I got busy with work and then was in and out of the hospital. 

Told myself I'll finish it this year. My deadline kept moving mainly because of my health. I just worked on it whenever I felt well. Worked on it slowly, but surely. I made bite-sized targets until I finally added the binding last weekend. The last stitch was added on August 20, 2022 (3 years 3 months and 9 days/831 days). 

Here's a tutorial on how I made it:

I also have a step by step guide here in case you want to try making one.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Craft Tuesdays: Uniqlo Outfits + My Quilted Bags = Marvelous

My quilting journey started with making bags. For practice Mom cut 1.5" x 1.5" squares for me to piece together. It eventually became my lunchbag. Then she cut larger squares and it became a totebag. I still have those bags somewhere. I'll share it when I find it.

I still enjoy making quilt bags and it's easier to learn nowadays because there are a lot of YouTube videos you can follow. We dropped by Uniqlo today and I was once again inspired to think about making a quilted bag. Here's a few nice pieces from Uniqlo that would match with some of the bags I've made.

Hope I'll have more time soon so I can work on making more quilted bags. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Craft Tuesdays: The Baby Quilt Blanket I Made for Miggy

I mentioned a few posts ago about the baby quilt blanket I made for Miggy. I sewed it by hand and Mom took care of binding it (I didn't know how to do binding at that time). The fabric I used were cuttings from Tita Maming's export business. She always gave my Mom cuttings that they were just going to dispose. They had really nice fabric because their primary market was Japan. All the quilts I made during that time were from the stash she gave to my Mom. 

We used pink and blue checked fabric. The design was simple and I embroidered cute shapes on some of the pieces. I'm actually surprised that the thread has held up even after almost 30 years. The last square I embroidered Miggy's name, birth date and time. 

I was so happy when Sweetie found the blanket when he pulled out the rest of our stuff from the condo. Got it washed this week. There are some stains on it which I think I will need to hand wash. It still feels really sturdy and I'm thinking of framing. It will probably be nice to hang in my sewing room. 

Well, one assignment for me is to find Miggy's baby photo with it. For now I only have grown-up Miggy with it haha. This is one thing I will cherish forever :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

Quilt Blankets I Made for Friends

I finally found the first quilt blanket I made. It was a baby blanket I hand-sewed just before Miggy was born. It was my Mom though who finished the process since she was more knowledgeable in binding than me. When I took up quilting again I realized my knowledge was incomplete. 

I took up quilting again I think in 2014 or 2015. I told myself I had to learn how to finish a quilt. Every project I started had to have a learning goal. I also wanted to make friends happy. In 2019 one of my favorite colleagues was about to give birth to a miracle baby. Armed with my rainbow fabric collection, I embarked on making a baby quilt. I sewed everything by hand and I was still sewing it when I went to Syndey. Luckily, I was able to finish it before I left and I gave it to her in between the events we were hosting. She has since sent me many photos of her baby playing on the quilt. 

The quilt wasn't perfect, but was made with love. I was a few months into making the Harry Potter quilt blanket for friends who just got married. For this quilt I wanted to improve on my stitching and piecing corners. I also wanted to use a sewing machine for piecing the bigger parts of the quilt. The small parts of the quilt were all sewn in-flight. It reached Australia, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. It took me two years to finish it since I got so busy in 2020. I finally sent it to Canada last year. 

Before I went back home I had this great idea I could make multiple quilts by using short cuts. I wanted to learn the shortcut to making pinwheel quilts. I told myself, ahhh maybe I can make two blankets. I ended up making four and gifted it to my friends in Singapore. 

Another friend got a different version of the Harry Potter quilt blanket. For this I followed a design from a book. Miggy helped me with the colors. 

Of course, I made baby quilts for my favorite doctors. I made two versions of it. By this time I was  quite confident at machine sewing. I slowly moved to machine quilting while making the blankets. I had to because I was starting to get pains in my arm haha. I enjoyed making the blankets for my doctors. My cardiologist has been sending me cute photos of him using it. 

Oversized lap quilt blanket for my cardiologist.

Lap quilt for my respiratory doctor.

I can't believe I made 8 baby blankets last year and I haven't even finished any this year. Well, I hope to finish my t-shirt memory quilt soon! 

#BeKind #StaySafe