Scrappy Potholders

I dont know if I have shared with you all, but I used every little tiny scrap of material and if it unusable I throw it into a pillow.

Scrappy Potholders is what I have made with some oh so tiny scraps and some strips. 

I used a double layer of batting for these. This is the only way I have ever made potholders and they always work just fine!

I have a huge amount of tiny scraps that I sew together periodically and make up potholders. Seriously, one can never have enough potholders. I have a few friends locally that are constantly asking for potholders as their kids are really rough on theirs and they get so dirty. I am happy to keep them in supply.

April Free Motion Quilting Challenge

Hey I'm posting before a month is up...yea!!  I done a bit of sewing but nothing spectacular this month. This month I kinda let things slide due to family health issues, but I'm going to get back up on this Blogging horse and stay connected better.

I joined in this challenge back in January, but have worked my self up with disappointments. I just couldn't seem to get any of the challenges looking ok. I let this one slide. However, a friend of mine would not let me get away with not participating. She kept asking how I was doing and encouraging me. I finally picked it back up and here is the April challenge.

Not perfect by any means. I went off the lines some and I totally overlapped in places where it was supposed to follow. But oh well, I did it and that is what matters!!

I want to share with you tho...Don Linn is the Aprils expert and does a fantastic job of explaining how to make stencils out of tulle. I had never seen this done. I took a few pictures of my steps and will share them here. 

I chose to follow Don's pattern. 

Here is the pattern traced on the tulle with a Sharpe marker.

Here is the tulle stencil inside one of my quilting rings.

See those dark yellow lines. Well, I used some tulle that my mother had and it was only 4 inches wide, so I simply zigzagged them together to make a large enough piece to use. It worked just fine!!

I forgot to take a picture of tracing the design onto the fabric, but it really very simple. You choose your favorite type of removable transfer pen/pencil. I used a chalk pencil. you lay the quilting ring with the tulle already stretched in it on top of the fabric and then you trace the pattern and the transfer ink/chalk simply transfers through the tulle onto the fabric. Ok, I never said I was the best 'splainer...LOL.

Once the design is transferred onto the fabric you simply follow the design. Easy peasy...well almost...LOL

So if you want to learn how to Free Motion Quilt on your domestic sewing machine. Check out the FMQ Challenge!!