WIP Wednesday -- A Start

I have a nice start to the covered composition notebooks that I am making for Christmas gifts.  9 out of 35 done.  I don't think that I need 35 for Christmas, but what I don't use for Christmas I will donate to my quilt guild to put in our boutique at the 2018 quilt show in Wichita.

In my process of cleaning up around my desk I've been bagging up projects.  I got most of them into a box and into my sewing room, but rug strips didn't make it into a bag.  They were calling my name sitting in a pile on my desk.  I just couldn't help myself but to start a new toothbrush rug.

Of course the rug is put to the side for now in a project box.  I may or may not work on it again for awhile.  I need to finish the notebook covers.  I made 2 more of the double towel scarves with Christmas towels and a lady has already bought those and wants 2 more for Christmas.  Plus, I have 2 orders of the crocheted netting dish scrubbies to get made as well.  Busy busy crafting and sewing is what I need to be.

I link up with the following blogs:



Jo's Country Junction:  http://www.joscountryjunction.com/

KatieMae Quilts for BOM weekly linky.  https://www.katiemaequilts.com/blog/

Frugal Friday With Marsha -- It's Been a Busy Week

Whew!  This week has flown by and it's been a flurry of activity!

I've still been working here and there on clearing out all this clutter around and under my desk.  I'm not getting even close to being done though.  I should have taken a very shameful picture of just how much stuff I've amassed over time.
Just this morning I found something under my desk in a pile that had I needed that item, I would have never known where to find it!  It's now where it belongs.
In my process of sorting sewing projects I got most of those in a big box, each in their own bag, and at least into my craft room.  I didn't get the strips for rug making into the box....they were still in a pile on my desk and calling my name.  They yelled at me so loudly that instead of getting into their bag, I started a new toothbrush rug with them.  I've been working on it a few strips at a time each day.

I cashed in with Swagbucks for $25 in amazon.  That enabled me with what I already had in my account to order both cat food and cat litter.
I've been buying those through Ibotta since they seem to always have Pet Products in their categories for buying through amazon.



I got in the Harvest VoxBox from Influenster.  I'm always excited to open the boxes when I get them.
I just got back inside from hanging our bedding on the line after washing it in the new Gain Botanicals.  I can't wait to crawl into bed tonight and go to sleep to the great scent of Gain (I sound like the commercial  LOL)
I'm enjoying using the Mane Magic, the Vera Wang cologne, and the shea body butter.

If you are not a member of Influenster already, I encourage you to sign up.  You get great things to try and then do short reviews of in social media.  It doesn't require a lot of your time.  It is well worth it!

Influenster is have Movember right now and for every new member who signs up throughout November, they will donate $1 to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.  Just another plus of joining!


These things along with all the things I already do both online and offline, plus babysitting for my 10 month old granddaughter and my 7 week old grandson and helping my 13 yr old granddaughter who is now being homeschooled, really did mean for a busy week!!

WIP Wednesday --This is How It Goes

Of course once the retreat was over all I really wanted to do is sew and sew and keep on sewing.  Life doesn't allow that, unfortunately.

The only thing I have worked on this past week was the yo-yo's.  I thought I had the first valance done, but when I measured it, nope, I need one more row the long way!

I set out then to make more yo-yo's, but also to separate what I already had made to ensure that some of every fabric gets in to each of the 3 items.  

The only other thing that I did this past week that was sewing or craft related was to cut several t-shirts into strips.  I got the stack of shirts at a rummage sale dollar a bag sale for the purpose of cutting them to make them into rugs.

I only cut them now as I was out of rags and I use the left over tops of the t-shirts to cut into rags.  I will be writing more about that on Friday.

No plans any time soon to start another t-shirt rug as I already have one to finish on my 17 UFO's in 2017 challenge list.

Sit n' Sew this Friday, so God willing, I will finish up squaring up the half square triangles, and work more on the yo-yo's.


I link up with the following blogs:



Jo's Country Junction:  http://www.joscountryjunction.com/

Frugal Friday with Marsha -- Rug Making

As I have been working to attempt to make a penny rug, rugs, and making them is on my mind.

Some say that just  like quilting, rug making is a "lost art".  They are probably right, but I have a great time making them.

I started out years ago by crocheting them with that huge crochet hook.  I made them out of t-shirts that I cut in big rounds of strips.  We still use these around the house all these years later.  I even still have on of them listed in My Zibbet Shop.

I'm long done making rugs this way.  Some years back now a lady in our church taught us how to make toothbrush rugs.  One of the men of the church took our toothbrushes and fashioned them into the needles for us.

Here are a few that I have made.  Some of these have sold and some of them you will find in my Zibbet and in My Etsy Shop.

I still love making the toothbrush rugs and have bags of materials ready to make more in my craft room.

I took a class at the quilt shop on how to make a lockerhook rug.  So much fun!!  I have made 2 now.  One has sold and the other one is still in my Etsy shop.   I have one more to make this size, but I have bought more canvas and intend to make a runner rug!

I got an idea that I could make a latchhook rug with little strips of t-shirt.  This one is still a work in progress....and one that I need to get out to work on!

The only picture I have of the penny rug is the one I shared in my WIP Wednesday blog with my progress on cutting out the felt circles.   I do have those cut out now and in hopes that as soon as I am done with this post I will be pinning the circles to the blanket that I am using for the backing of the rug.  I will give a report on how it's coming along both here and in next Wednesday's post.

Other than buying the canvas for the lockerhook rugs and the string for making those, most all of my materials are "handed down" to me as others clean out their sewing rooms.....edges of fabrics that I've used for other projects, bought at yard sales and such.    In the "olden days", as I call them, all rugs and other things were made with scraps of worn clothing, blankets and such.  Sometimes I think I would have made a good pioneer woman......LOL


Here are some books and supplies on amazon that may interest you:

WIP Wednesday-- Feel I Am Moving Along

I finally got my sewing machine out and worked on the star challenge project for quilt guild.  I got 3 more of the 16 squares done.  Changed my plan a little on what I am doing with it and look forward to working more on it this week!

I am still making 3 yo-yo's a day for my 365.  I'm getting more anxious to start putting them together into the 3 projects though.  I will keep on making before doing so.  Once I feel that pile of fabrics are showing less to me.

I even got more done on the selvage toothbrush rug.  I'm thinking that as long as I keep working on it while we bowl on our league that it will be done before the league ends in April.  Every week people come over to see what I am making and admire it.

Again, you can see the list of the 17 UFO's I have chosen for the 17 in 2017 challenge in my right side bar here.

I link up with the following blogs:


Jo's Country Junction:  http://www.joscountryjunction.com/

WIP Wednesday--17 in 2017 Challenge

Last week while going through the links at Esther's Blog, I seen one that talked about joining in on the 17 in 2017 Challenge.  Of course I had to check it out.
The challenge is to complete 17 UFO's in 2017.
I couldn't wait to hop on board with the challenge as it may be just what I need to finally get some long awaited UFO's done.
I had to search back some years here on my blog to find pictures of my unfinished projects!!

It was kind of a hard choice to figure out just which 17 of the numerous UFO's!!

Click the button for more information on the challenge.

Now here are my 17 UFO's I've chosen to finish this year for the challenge:

#1 The yo-yo valances and table runner for the special order

#2 Selvage toothbrush rug

#3 Black and White with a little Red quilt

#4 Lexington quilt

#5 Crazy colors quilt

#6 Arkansas Crossroads quilt

#7 Rainbow string quilt

#8 Doll Bed Sets

#9 St Patricks yo-yo table topper

#10 Prayer shawl

#11 T-shirt latchhook rug

#12 Five and Dime quilt

#13 Charming Stars quilt

#14 Hexagon quilt (well, I can at least pick it up and work on it again throughout the year!)

#15 T-shirt toothbrush rug

#16 Scrappy Rectangles quilt

#17 Paper pieced stars guild challenge

I won't be listing my UFO's in each WIP Wednesday post like I have in the past.  Instead I will reference back to this post each week.

I still haven't gotten the codes yet for the blogs that I link to each week, but here they are:

Esther's Blog

Adiyday

and now  17 in 2017 by Pomegranate and Chintz