Tag Archives: #beckygoldsmith

DIY No-Slip Stool Cushion (& making do with what you have)…

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I often sit on a wood barstool to work. While I have natural padding, the seat is hard! I couldn’t find a more comfortable barstool or cushion but I ordered something in that came padded with two sheets of foam. Great!

After two months of sitting on plain foam I decided to make a ‘real’ cushion to fit the stool. This is not great foam, but it was free and here. I cut both pieces to fit the top of the stool.

Once I was sure the foam fit the seat, I cut fabric for the cushion top and Easyliner Grip shelf liner for the bottom, adding 1/2˝ seam allowance on all sides.

I sewed the fabric and Easyliner right sides together using my walking foot, a long-ish stitch length, and a scant 1/2˝ seam. The grippy stuff does not slide on the bed of the machine so sew with it on top. There isn’t fabric between the Easyliner and the foam. You could add fabric, but I couldn’t see the point. Leave an opening to insert the foam.

Getting the foam in place wasn’t exactly easy, but it was possible. I pinned the opening closed and whipped it shut by hand. I would have sewn it on the machine but decided that would be way more trouble than it was worth.

I thought about making this cushion for weeks. Why? After less than an hour I have a functional, cute cushion that will last a long time. I might eventually get fancy and purchase high density foam to make another one—but not today :-).

Take a look at the projects that you keep putting off. They might be like this… faster than you think and very grin-inducing!

Stocking Stuffers 2022

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Remember what I said about gift giving? The criteria I try to live by at this point is that items need to be useful, or delicious, and never require dusting. So everything on my Stocking Stuffers page is useful. Below are just a few fun items to get you started. Go to the page for even more ideas.

These first two tools are designed by Cindy Needham. “The Perfect Spot Magnetic” Tool Holder is helpful and versatile; it sticks to your sewing machine or other surface with a square of adhesive that is easy to remove, without leaving a residue. The magnet is strong enough to hold the EZRipNGrip tool or a small pair of scissors, pins, needles and more. The EZ RipNGrip is one of the best seam rippers I’ve every run across and likewise the tweezers side.

Telescoping Magnets are a perfect tool for sewers, but really they’re handy for everyone. Last year we sold out way too fast, and couldn’t get more —supply chain issues. Right now we still have a few! Yay! But don’t wait too long, because I don’t know if we will be able to get more.

These reusable silicone straws come with their own tiny brush. High quality, pretty colors, and go into a drawer to be used ;-). See what I mean? Jubilee Straws, below.

With help from my woodworking friend Elizabeth, Judy and I created these one-of-a-kind Piece O’ Cake Wool Pincushion Rings! Each one is hand made by us, and they’re all a little different, let us know your color preference, and we’ll choose a perfectly cute one for you!

New from LoLo, lovely moisturizing bar soaps. There are 4 scents: Lavender, Orange Vanilla, Goat’s Milk & Tea Tree, and Coconut Plain Jane (unscented).

All LoLo makes a perfect stocking stuffer or gift, because of the quality we know and love, and it’s affordable!

Plus LoLo is a woman owned small business, and it makes me so happy to give my support. All around win.

The one really big bag you need is this one, AND it folds up to fit in a purse… or a stocking, of course. Click to read more about the Rainbows of Happiness Tote, and how Judy and Lorna have used theirs.

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This eraser is impressive! Just watch the video below as I use it for the first time. The Hand-Held Eraser + Holder is new from Blackwing and it’s a must-have for anyone who uses a pencil.

Bee Lovely Needle Minders definitely meet the criteria, and they are so pretty! Magnetically attach to your shirt while you’re sitting on the sofa hand sewing, and it grabs your needles and small scissors, even. So you won’t lose them while you work.

For your crafty friend or loved one, an Animal Hand-Sewing Kit or an Embroidery Kit might be just the thing. We have many to choose from, so you can find the perfect one(s).

This is a page of gift ideas, but don’t forget yourself. I have been known to stuff my own stocking a little, too!

When the dog eats the quilt, visible mending for the win!

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April, grandson Jack’s dog, ate a hole in his bed quilt. Deep sigh. This is the dog-eaten hole. Notice the irregular stitches that I used to sew together the tears on either side of the hole.

Follow the progression of the fix in the following photos. It took about 2 hours plus a few miuntes to machine quilt over the patches.

Patch basted then appliqued on the top of the quilt.
I cut batting to fit the hole and basted it in place.
I basted a patch on the back and then trimmed it to follow the shape of the hole, plus some.
Back patch appliqued in place.
I decided to add some blue to make the white patch blend better.
Not too bad!
I machine quilted through all layers and this will keep the batting from shifting inside the quilt.

I meant for the patch to blend but not be invisible and that worked. When Jack and I put the quilt on his bed, we almost couldn’t find the patch—but then we found it :-). Jack was as impressed as a nearly 15-year-old boy can be 🤣🤣🤣.

The moral of the story is not to put off this sort of mending. It goes fast and it’s very satisfying.

Wowie Zowie, from Piecing the POC Way, 2nd ed.— before April ate it.

Show and tell Hexie Garden…

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Mary Ann Karpinski shared her quilt with us—thank you Mary Ann! She combined the flowers from my book, Hexie Garden Quilt, with Toes in the Sand by Julie Herman from Jaybird Quilts. What a great idea!!!

Mary Ann says that she got a little carried away with the hand quilting. I don’t think she did, do you?

Well done, Mary Ann, and thank you so much for sharing your quilt with us :-).

Show and tell… Bullseye!

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Marie Johansen post this comment on my blog. The first photo shows her Bullseye quilt top which is amazing!

Hello! I finished my Bullseye and it one of my favorites in 40 years of making quilts! I want to make another! Is there a mathematical formula that I could use to make it even larger than 60”? I am math challenged, but would love an even larger Bullseye! Thank you for this wonderful pattern!

Bullseye made by Maria Johansen

The answer to the math question is yes… I’m pretty sure that you can enlarge all the foundation paper piecing shapes, and the corner template, by the same percentage and they should fit together.

Marie also sent a photo of her finished quilt on the bed, photobombed by her cat, Tizzy :-).

Bullseye made by Maria Johansen

Thank you, Marie, for sharing your quilt with us! You did a marvelous job and I look forward to hearing how the enlargement works out.

If you would like to make your own Bullseye quilt. click here to find the book.

Grow some Joy with 1/2″ Hexies :-)!

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A few days ago I ran across my box of 1/2″ EPP hexie flowers. I make these when I run out of other hand sewing because they are so cute and easy to sew on the go. Each side of the hex paper is 1/2″. EPP papers come in other sizes to make different sizes of flowers.

And then I looked over and saw my Piece O’ Cake Travel Pouches that were woefully unadorned. What a perfect combo!!!

I decided to stitch these hexie flowers to my red pouch, with a single hex spacer in between. 

It works best to attach and sew one flower at a time. I pressed the flowers to make sure the creases stayed put and removed the basting thread. I used the Quilters Select glue pen. It works better if you hold the flower in place near the cent and fold back one petal at a time. Add glue to the underside of the outer edge of the petal and press it in place. Repeat for all petals and let the glue dry. 

You will still need to add pins because the Yazzii fabric has a finish the glue doesn’t love. I used the 3/4″ Little House applique pins.

I’m still sewing the red pouch but I finished my blue one. Here’s what I learned:

  • The closer the applique is to the top of the pouch, the easier it is to sew.
  • I used my regular applique thread (Superior’s Masterpiece on the bobbin) and an invisible applique stitch. 
  • I hid my stitch between the quilted layers of fabric.
  • You will have to be creative with the way you hold the fabric and you work around the flower. Take your time and focus on sewing the edges down. If it isn’t perfect, that’s OK. It just needs to be sturdy enough to hold up to the wear you give it.

I could add embroidery. I could add felted wool… maybe leaves, or a bee! But I have other hand projects that are calling me with a louder voice so I am going to call these finished (for now), because they are plenty cute as is :-).

Hexie flowers… you should make some and plant them where you need a spot of joy!