Three Kitchen Fairies

Pure Joy

I'm happy and done with this project. It's my embroidery for the Hand Stitched Embroidery Swap. I enjoyed do much making this pattern, choosing the right embroidery hoop (I'm that kind of picky,) and stitching from a couple of hours at my heart's content.

The making of the pattern brought some other observations along such as my need to get in touch with my drawing skills. And needless to say (but I say it anyway,) I fell in love with it again!!!  I hope my secret partner likes it as much as I do. This piece is going to be especially hard to let go. The good thing is that this is a pattern available now.

Yes! So if you want to give it a try my Embroidery Pattern 1: "Joy" is available at my Etsy store. It's in the form of a PDF file for easy delivery thanks to Jose (Mr. TKF). I hope you love it as much as I do.

 

Quilting, thrifting, and swaping.

The bears paws blocks are coming nicely along. I'm working on them during any tiny spare time that I can find. Although I know that I'm entitle to some sort of recreation or just a break during the day, I feel terribly guilty to sew the afternoon away while the girls are doing something else around the house. Then they go to bed, and I feel exhausted...I guess I'll have to work a bit more on my this issue and enjoy myself a bit more. I made these blocks like one or two per day. A total of nine blocks will be perfect for a throw size quilt, with a nice sashing added, and then the border. So far it's looking very fall-ish and very traditional for my taste. This is the first time that a quilt turns out so serious but I guess that's OK as long as it doesn't become the rule.

In the "findings" category today: not one or two but seven, seven yards of this quilters cotton fabric. I got it at the thrift store for $7. There is plenty for quilt backing, lounge pants for me, and even some for swaping if you're interested...

In the swap category: Yes! I made it in time for this swap organized by Ariel. I got my secret partner and I got to make my mosaic with my favorite pictures from flickr. I'm really excited about this one!! I'm planning on making my own embroidery pattern, and I also want to use a couple of pretty fabrics for this one. I also signed up for the Teeny Tiny Mini Swap organized by the famous quiltinkimmie. I got to swap with Hanies in Germany!! She has a lovely photostream, doesn't she?? I guess I just busied myself in terms of sewing.

I'll soon be back with a sneak peek for my swap partners, and more craftiness. Now, I'm going to get the girls from the bus stop and get started with dinner. Happy sewing everyone!!

 

Quilt Around the World

Happy Saturday!! I'm just browsing around flickr, looking at all your lovely quilts and quilt blocks, looking at all the wonderful quilting bees and block swaps that are going on at the moment.

I made this mosaic with some of the blocks I already made for Summer Sadie's Quilt Around the World . The group is already half way through!! Thanks to the encouragement and organization from her lovely host, the quilts in this group are looking amazing. I receive a package of blocks almost every week to work with it for a few days. I'm having so much fun planning what to make for each participant and looking at all the wonderful creations other participants have done. The down side of this quilting bee is that it will be done sooner or later...I was thinking that maybe I can participate in another quilting bee. But they're in such high demand that it seem impossible to be in time for signing up. Who knows when I'll catch a train like this again. I already check the list of "up coming" (or already gone) quilting bees, and the sign ups are already closed. So dear Summer Sadie: I'm hopeful that some day you want this group re-united to go for a second round

PS. If you have any information on up coming quilting bees, let me know, ok?? Who knows maybe someday I come up with my own quilting bee.

Wagon Wheel Tutorial

After making about forty something of these circles, some of you asked me how are they made. Well, the technique that I use is a mix of techniques, tricks, and templates that I found along the way. I  refined some of the steps to make them my own way. I tried really hard to follow some tutorials I found; but to tell you the truth, I needed to find a way to make it simple in order to make so many of them. Here is how I make my wagon wheels.

First you need your download these templates, print them, and cut them out in card stock. If you are planning to make more than nine circles I suggest you cut a few more. They do wear out after so much tracing and ironing.

Each wheel has twelve spokes. Choose your fabrics in three groups of four: dark colors, mediums and light. This will give your wheel a nice color balance.

Trace your twelve spokes and cut them along the lines.

Organize the spokes into two half circles of six spokes each.

 

Now you're ready to start sewing your spokes. Leaving a quarter of and inch seam allowance, sew six spokes to make a half circle.

You should end up with two half circles like this. Don't forget to press all your seam allowances in the same direction. Don't let any folds "eat" away part of your half circle when pressing. You'll need all the fabric in your spokes to make a perfect circle.

This is the step that will make your circles perfect. Place the middle line of your square ruler in the middle seam of your half circle, align the as perfect as can be. Then cut any remaining fabric (if any) outside of your ruler. It may be a thin wedge of fabric or a bit more. Do the same with your other half circle.

Put your two half circles right sides together, place the pins and sew them together to make a whole wheel. Remember to leave a quarter inch seam allowance.

Press your seams all in the same direction.

And there you have your wagon wheel.

Now take a 13 by 13 inch square of fabric to make your block. Fold it in fourths so that you get two crossing lines in the middle of it. Press it and then put it aside.

Put your finished wagon wheel facing down on your ironing board and center your card stock template. You can make it by eye since there is no more that a quarter of an inch left out side the big circle template. As even as possible spray a bit of light starch at the edge of your wheel.Then press the edges over the template with your warm iron. The edge of your wheel will feel a bit hard and it will stick to the card stock. That's why you only need a bit of starch, you don't want to rip your template.

Un-stick the template from your wheel, and there it is: a prefect circular edge for an easy applique

Unfold your 13in by 13in fabric. Align the crossing lines in your square of fabric and the crossing lines in your wheel and pin the wheel to your square like so, and put it aside.

Now take your small circle template and trace it onto a piece of fabric for the center of your wheel. Cut it leaving a quarter of an inch allowance.

Spray some light starch on the edge of your circle and press the edges over your template like you did with your wheel.

Un-stick your template, fold your fabric circle in half and press...

fold it again like a cheeky beak.

 Then opened and center your small circle by aligning the crossing lines in the middle with the rest of the crossing lines in your block

You can either hand stitch or machine sew with an applique stitch. I personally prefer to hand  stitch....

and there you have it.

It wasn't too hard, was it??

Let me know if I need to explain better any of the steps.

Enjoy!!

PS: I want to thank my dear Jose, for helping me with the PDF file for this tutorial.

Edit: Here's the husband typing... If you have trouble printing (the images are too light) try to download the "dark" version at "www.threekitchenfaires.com/WagonWheelTutorialDark.pdf". Both versions printed OK on my machine, hopefully this will solve your issue...

All in good time

I have a stash of fabric that is not as big as other quilters'/crafters'. My stash has pretty little cuts that I found and bought just in case, and some leftovers. There is this other part of my stash that is made out of treasures. Yards and yard of fabrics I've been keeping for a special occasion, or that I haven't cut through just because some of those fabrics are too precious to be used. In that special pile of wonderful fabrics I have this:

"The Quilt-maker's Gift" fabric by Gail De Marcken for Benartex.  Have you ever heard about this book?? It's one of the fairies' favorite books. The illustrations are incredible beautiful and the story is such a lesson of generosity, compassion, and quilty-happiness. The fat quarters on top of it are the fabrics I'm choosing to mix with the Benartex fabric to make a throw size quilt for us. 

I've been holding up to this fabric for a couple of years. Then this summer while working at this block for the ATQB, and after our visit to the Sleeping Bear Dunes I felt inspired. I decided it was time to make something pretty out of it. The block I'm using this time is the bear paw. I'm kind of having a obsession with bears and bear stories. In both stories the bears are such loyal, loving, and grateful characters. The mother bear in the sleeping bear legend is full of hope waiting for her bears to finally get to the lake shore...All these elements makes a perfect quilt for covering my girls in those cold Michigan winter afternoons ahead of us. For the backing of the quilt I have a nice flannel printed with the I spy illustration that comes inside the jacket of the book.

So that's me and my special fabrics, I just have to wait to for the perfect project even if it takes years. 

On that note...guess what, I got these fabrics

 

Yummy Mendocino fabric...Did you know mermaids are fairies too? We read that they were the angels that fell in the water when some other bad, bad angels where expelled out of heaven.

I guess I'll cut through these in a couple more of years. In the meantime I'll spread them around me and look at them with fascination and them I'll fold them again to put them away...

Up North.

Last week we went on a vacation. Here in Michigan people go "up north" during summer, and when they say "up north" the tour usually includes the Sleeping Bear Dunes, any sandy beach at the edge of Michigan Lake, Mackinac Island, among other places. This "up north" pilgrimage is so popular around her that we can actually find our local people in the same hotels or towns. As we headed "north," one of my best friend just came back; and another friend was driving up there too, as well as  my husband's boss.  Although the weather was kind of cold we still got to enjoy a lot. We took advantage of the warmest day of the week (72F degrees) to claim the Bear Dunes, and to enjoy a day at the beach with the girls. Isabel (my four year old) was warning us not to dig so deep so we don't wake up the mama bear, she would eat us, you know?? 

 

One of the marinas at the edge of the lake....

We spent the rest of the days visiting little picturesque little towns and independent shops and galleries. By independent I mean that there isn't much of the regular chain restaurants and stores.

 We truly got a taste of pure Michigan goodness. Among my favorites The Grand Traverse Pie Company:

they have the best peach cobbler ever...

We drove a lot during these days and while at that I kept knitting my granny squares.  The funny thing is that I have no idea what they'll finally be good for.

I put the first twenty five together and I love how it looks. If it turns out to be a pillow cover and would put it in one of the fairies beds. Still, Ofelia insists in covering her legs with it while watching TV, so who knows, I'll keep knitting until I run out of yarn and let's see.

and there she goes...

My little sister started college today. I still can't believe she's a "college student," already. She's the youngest of four siblings which means that my mom's house is now quiet. My brothers and I'm constantly checking on her and on my mom because, you know, she is my mother's baby and it feels weird to know that they're doing things together as usual. Since she's not that much into my craftiness, I decided not to go overboard with a crafty gift. I asked her what she wanted and she asked me for a pillow case with animal prints. Believe me: animal prints are not my thing. But since she is my baby sister I had to oblige. I also made her a few coaster with the "bra" fabric on one side and the animal print on the other. I'm sending her other stuff like cookies just to let her know that I love her and that I wish I was there to drive her to college...she is in far away NY.

Here we're!! I told you it's not easy for me to post my own picture but here it's to my sister. We do look like sisters but we're totally different:

She loves to go shopping, I don't like it that much. She's fashionable, I'm more laid back. She goes crazy with make up, I'm a natural beauty hehehe. She straightens her hair every single day, mine is straight already. She wants to talk seriously all the time and I can't stop teasing her just because she's seventeen years younger than me.Totally different but we still love each other to pieces. She's was always one of the  reasons to  make things right, why?? because she always looked up to me: her big sister. On the other hand, that looking up issue only made me be a better person. Little sisters rock!!!

Another recycling project...

In this economy we just can't have it all anymore. We have to think ahead of time about how we're going to use our resources, get organized, plan ahead, and recycle. Check this out:

 

Recycled Pj's shorts made out of "old" shirts from Mr. Kitchen Fairies. He laughed at me when he saw what I was making. But tell me it's not a good idea... Polo shirts are expensive, and after a year or so of use they look old. On the other hand accidents happen; like a crayon that went into the dryer with some of his shirts, yikes!! Any way not everything was lost :)

I made four pairs of shorts. One is already being worn. The girls are wearing them with tank tops from Target: $3.50 each. a real  good deal.

  

The pattern came from here

 

This books was my Mother's day gift. The pants are the "lounge pants" kids' size XL made into shorts. So far this is my first project from this book; each pair of shorts took me about an hour to make, so very easy.

On a different subject, don't forget my little giveaway. You can sign up until Wednesday, then I'll draw the winner by Thursday. The little basket is already filled up with goodies.

 

Something for the teachers and something for you : giveaway!!

 

We're having a kind of a hard week. Ofelia was sick again and she is recuperating slowly, really slowly. She is sleeping so much that I was preoccupied enough to take her for a third visit to the doctor's office.  "She is just tired from the cold," said the doctor... in the meantime my little girl is missing the last week of school and sleeping couple of naps a day...

Since I haven't being able to go out to buy a little something for the teachers, I decided I'll make something instead with whatever I have available. I used this tutorial and I made some baskets for our lovely teachers.

 

I love how they turned out, the colors are very summer-like. I made three of them, and I still need to make two more: one for another teacher and the last one is a little surprise I'm preparing for you. The ones for the teacher are going to be loaded with chocolate a teacher goodies. I want to prepare the other one with yummy fat quarters, and other crafty goodness; how about some chocolate?

 

Why wait longer?? let's turn this post into a giveaway. Leave me a comment about your favorite teacher, or most memorable school year to enter this giveaway. I'll use the random generator thingy and announce a winner next Thursday (June 18th). So everybody has a whole week to sign up. Deal??

Looking for a Summer project

Looking for a Summer project, originally uploaded by threekitchenfairies.

This week the fairies will be done with school. Then, next week they'll start with their Summer lessons which include swimming, gymnastics, tap dance, and their usual violin lesson. All these means that I'll seat and wait while they take whatever lesson they take each day.
I've been looking at some granny blanket projects, and I love each of them. My plan is to make at least one of this Spring/Summer during those seating sessions.
Every time we come across one of these crochet treasures, Jose wonders were his grandma's granny blankets ended up. He still remembers his grandma making each of the squares at great speed, and he longs for such a family treasure to pass on to the girls.
Let's see, maybe I'll even make more than one...

P.S. I've been trying to attach the link with all the credits for the pictures on the mosaic and it's not working. The mosaic is on my photostream has are all the credits. I'll figure it out. Any suggestions?