Tag: paper piecing

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Summer fun and a DIY first aid kit

A black bag with some bandaids on it


A black bag with some bandaids on it
DIY first aid kit
Now that summer is here, many people are planning day outings or vacations with the kiddos.  It’s a good idea to have a first aid kit with you in case something happens, and I know I haven’t even kept one in my car (I’m learning, though!).  So this pattern has a free zipper pouch tutorial and a free foundation paper piecing tutorial in it.  Two for the price of one! But not really, because they’re both free 😉  Head over to the AQS Blog and get your free tutorial HERE!

A quilt block with three different colored bandaids on it.
finished foundation block

If you don’t feel like messing around with the band aid block and the paper piecing, you can totally skip that part and just cut two slid pieces of fabric for the front and back.  But those little band aids are so cute!  

I filled my little kit up with band aids, some antiseptic spray and wipes, bandage tape, gauze, and antibiotic ointment.  You can personalize yours however you’d like and maybe sew up an extra one for a friend (or for dad’s car).  The little band aids are a great way to use up small scraps of fabric.  I know I have a hard time throwing any fabric away, so I’ll keep this block pattern close at hand for teacher gifts or whatever!  Happy sewing until next time!

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Alison Glass Ventana Quilt


I usually am not such a sucker for holiday deals and sales…but when Alison Glass had her twelve days of Christmas, I couldn’t resist.  I ordered the pattern below (picture from Alison Glass’s website) in the kit format.  And I have to say…I have NEVER purchased a quilt kit before.  I take immense pleasure in selecting fabrics and design for a quilt, but it was so nice to not have to think about those things for once.  I opened the pattern, cut up all the fabric that was sent to me, and I whipped this quilt top up in about 4 days.  

I have yet to quilt the top…I’m thinking of adding some applique to the center of the white parts of the quilt to add a little more to it, but haven’t quite decided yet.  I had allowed myself a few days of selfish sewing prior to the end of 2016, and this was the project I chose to do.  It’s a great pattern–especially if you want to just follow someone else’s instructions (the blocks are foundation paper pieced), and you don’t even have to worry about being too mindful of the piecing process.  
foundation paper pieced blocks ready to be assembled
The kit I purchased came with Alison’s newest line of fabric-Seventy Six.  I added a few blocks to the standard pattern to increase the dimensions slightly.  I really didn’t think this pattern would come together as quickly as it did, and didn’t really have a backing in mind for it when I finished.  So I just wanted to share my bit of selfish sewing for 2016.  And while this isn’t really a pattern review, I have to say the pattern is extremely easy to follow (and the kit even came with enough fabric for me to make 12 extra blocks–increasing the size from a 5×6 layout to a 6×7 block layout.) and such a pleasure to make.  

My nearly finished quilt top