Wednesday Giveaway – Dritz Pins go to KittyNielson88!

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Dritz Applique pins are nickel plated and will help position and hold appliques. Their short length allows for close pinning of small appliques. But I like to use them with sequins like this…place a small bead, then a sequin (or 2) on a pin and stick the pin in a foam ball (or egg for Easter decorations). 

If you’re interested, you can shop our sequins by clicking here.

I’ll be back with another Giveaway next Wednesday. Until then you can shop for all sorts of sewing notions, books, and other fun stuff at pieceocake.com!

Crochet is my in-between project…

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I crochet in between projects or when I am need handwork without needles and pins. I am a mostly self-taught crocheter and can follow complex patterns but I am always willing to learn something new so I happily signed up for the Beginner Crochet Workshop by Shannon Roudhán and Jason Bowlsby on Creative Spark. What a great class!!!!

It is a short, affordable class that is good for all skill levels. I learned several things that I didn’t know I didn’t know 🤣. The class projects are easy and an excellent way to practice what you learn.

Shannon and Jason also have this book that I don’t own… yet! It’s on my list and would be really good to have on hand for the grandkids!

But, before I start in on the two projects in the class, I need to finish the Rainbow Dots Blanket, designed by Jellina Verhoeff. The pattern is on Ravelry and the yarn she used is Metropolis by Scheepjes. It’s a fingering weight wool that is both warm and light.

The yarn kits for this blanket are gone, but you can substitute other yarn. In fact, Shannon talks about yarn and making substitutions in the Beginner Crochet Workshop class! Again, I learned things in that class that I didn’t know :-).

Shannon and Jason have other classes on Creative Spark—especially on sashiko—that I happily recommend. They are great teachers with lots to share. Enjoy!

Wednesday Giveaway!

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Keeping things organized when you’re working on a project is so important. But you also need things to be easy to see and pick up. This week’s giveaway (going to Velikova!) does both – Dritz’s Bobbin Boat!

The Bobbin Boat keeps up to 12 average-sized bobbins neat and tidy. In fact, it holds them so securely that I use the point of my scissors to pop them out. I love it! (We also sell these in sets of three, because if one bobbin boat is good, three is that much better!)

I’ll be back with another Giveaway next Wednesday. Until then you can shop for all sorts of sewing notions, books, and other fun stuff at pieceocake.com!

More Show and Tell Chickens!

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Joan made more chickens, One for her and two to give friends at her upcoming retreat. Joan, you make excellent chickens!

Here they are & they have names…
Chris’s is a Plymouth Rock, then Foghorn Leghorn, Little Red Hen & BlueJay Wannabe!!

She said that tails were her nemesis, until she thought to put in a wedge and sculpt the tails after they were sewn in. Brilliant!!!!

Click here or on the link below to watch my chicken pincushion tutorial and remember Joan’s tip for the tail feathers :-).

Thank you, Joan, for sharing the tip and your cute chickens!

Cluck Cluck Cutie! Free Wool Pincushion Video Instructions

Wednesday Giveaway goes to Janet!

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This week’s lucky winner will receive a Silver Point Guard from Blackwing. The Blackwing Point Guard is crafted out of lightweight, machined aluminum and fits snugly on the end of your Blackwing pencil. The Point Guard goes over the point of your Blackwing pencil, keeping it safe and tidy in your bag or pocket. These guards also fit on the General’s Charcoal Pencil.

Click here to view all of our Blackwing products, including pencils (notice how well the Vol 02 pencils would go with this silver point guard), sharpeners and erasers.

I’ll be back with another Giveaway next Wednesday. Until then you can shop for all sorts of sewing notions, books, and other fun stuff at pieceocake.com!

Show and tell: A Sampling of Santas

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Cynthia Helton sent photos of this quilt that her mom, Shirley Ray Hatley Alford, started in 1995. Shirley passed away in July, 2007. Cynthia, thank you for sharing her quilt with us, I know you all must treasure it.

I remember Shirley! She was in my North Pole class at Sharon’s Quilt Depot way back in 1995 when the book, A Sampling of Santas, was new. Shirley was a lovely woman and I have a smile on my face when I remember her.

This is excerpted from the very well-written documentation patch:

Shirley hand appliqued the blocks and machine pieced them together. As her health began to decline due to breast cancer, Shirley invited Corinne Lageose to finish the hand quilting. Carolyn MIller sewed on the outer binding by hand. And Shirley’s daughter, Cynthia Rae Alford Helton sewed on the red berry buttons and other embellishments. This quilt was lovingly finished by Cynthia while sitting at the bedside of Shirley in July, 2007. This is Shirley’s Masterpiece!

If you are interested in the pattern, A Sampling of Santas is included in our ebook, A Slice of Christmas.