Julia Quilts, Well makes a hotpad and has a B-Day!

 Julia has been pestering me to let her make some hot pads for her friends mom.  I finally relented this last week and let her do it.

 Julia is growing up.  Its funny to think 8 years ago she is what caused me to start quilting.  I know in the last 4 years I have almost vanished but my little princess is making me make a return.

Julia did not do this all alone.  I cut out the squares for her and sewed a few of them together and helped thread the machine.  But most of the actually sewing she did.

 I even let her Iron.  I almost got away with it (Tanya did not know that I let her play with the hot iron) but well the burn on her had gave us away so I got caught.

 All in all she did a pretty good job and did not burn the house down and only burnt a small mark into her wrist.  It will heal but the memories of her doing this on her own will last forever.

 Julia picked all the materials out for these.  We are making another few quilts and these were left over squares that she stole for this project.

 She even basted the hot pad on her own and pinned it.

 She also quilted the hot pad.  Don't look too close at the lines as they are not all that strait but all in all it looks good.

 I am proud of her she did a fantastic job.

Here is the hot pads after I did the binding on them.  She tried to do it but was not having great luck so I finished that part for her.

Today is Julia's B-Day she turned 8.  She was really sad that she was not able to have her friends over for a party or go out to dinner like we normally do for Birthdays.  We did get her some lunch that we picked up from Cafe Rio that was really good.

She got a pair of skates and lots of other presents but still was some what bummed out as the world tried to cancel her B-day.  But lucky for her we did it any way.

 I have a 8 month old little grand daughter that we get to baby sit.  And while we were at the store a month ago I had to buy her this cute pink little chair.  She is finally to the point she can sit up in it.

This is my baby, Baby sitting her niece.  They make a good team when we can get them both down for a nap at the same time. With school out because of the virus, she has lots of time to spoil her.

Our little grand baby wants to grow up.  Here she is trying to get into a box she stood up all on her own.  She is just so cute.

Turquoise Batik Hot pads

 Sadly it has been too long since the last time I made a post.  I figured it was about time.  It has really been a long time since I have done any quilting.  I sorta lost my way.  Over the last 2 weeks I have done a few smaller hot pad projects and I figure they are a good enough excuse to post and share them.

 A lot has happened since I last blogged.  Rebecca my 2nd oldest got married, Then had a baby.  My wife I am sure will soon share her baby pictures

 Last year I lost my job and then got it back.  Long story but things are at least ok in that area of my life.

I have also done a little programming and created a site to share stuff on.  Its meant to be a site that any one can share their stuff its still a work in progress but if your interested in looking at it here is the link.  Craft Lovers  It is not a completed site but it does work.  Feel free to create an account and share a craft project.  If you do give it a try please email me at rhealey101@gmail.com and let me know what you think about it.  And if you have suggestions for improvements let me know.

Hot Pad's and More Hotpads

We decided to do hot pads for family members last year for Christmas along with some homemade jam.  We normally don't do loops, because we couldn't figure out how to do them.  After several tutorials, we decided we need to do a bias type binding.  After ironing them manually on a couple, I decide that was a joke and we invested in a bias tape maker.
We also are trying to do some hot pads out of linen for someone and they are not working out at all. We broke or bent 4 needles trying to bind them.  The linen combined with Insulbrite is just too thick.
Here are some of them that we remembered to get pictures of.

There were many more, but like our 12 days hot pads we sorta jumped the gun and sent out all the presents  and forgot to take pictures first.  Oh well hope that you enjoy these.

Almost forgot to share this!

To start off with I want to apologize for the crappy quality of these pictures they were taken with my cell phone.  Why are my finishes taken when my cell phone?  Great question.  Its because I almost forgot to take the pictures.

Each year my family picks some families and we do the 12 days of Christmas for them.  My wife had a very giving father and when he passed away this year, he gave some inheritance to his kids.  To celebrate that, we upped our giving game with Secret Santa.

When we started we were giving 1 family the 12 days.  Then we increased to 2 families and finally to 3 families We called it a limit, as it takes a lot of work to get the gifts and deliver them each year.  This year we wanted to give more and picked 6 families.

Each day we gave gifts some were small and simple and some were more complex.  As the 12th day we hand deliver (we try to deliver the first 11 on the sly) and we gave each family some hot pads along with some other goodies.  Yes that is why we have 5 sets of hot pads listed on this page.

Wait a sec I said we had 6 families?  Oh ya the first family we delivered our gifts jumped in the car and then realize we totally forgot to take any pictures (they were orange by the way). As we delivered our presents we took pictures (on the seat of the van) as the pictures go on they get darker i ran out of light.

Any way this is what my family does for fun for Christmas we give to others.  I am always in need of great gift ideas or traditions to add to our Christmas traditions.  If you have suggestions please leave them here.

Tanya put together many of the tops for these hot pads and I (Richard) quilted and bound them.  I hate binding hot pads, because of the little tails sticking out and I think after 6 sets of hot pads I got pretty good at it.

Like all things we do though, we did not stop at 6 hot pads we made them for family also.  I will share those another day as I actually took good pictures of most of them.

Any way I hope that you enjoy viewing all these hot pads.

Left over Charm Square Table Runner & Hot Pads

Today we have some quilted items to show that are left overs from prior projects.  Both of these sat around in a pile of quilted items with out binding until a few weeks ago when Tanya got sick of them sitting there and made me finish the binding.  I sadly hate the color of the table runner but love the color of the hot pads.

Now I so pose if I don't mind clashing I can use the table runner to put a casserole on and use the hot pads to pack said casserole.  Now who wants to cook me my casserole .  Me I know how to quilt but I dont think I am much for cooking.

Hot Pads from left over scraps

Here is another set of hot pads made from scrap fabrics.  These fabrics were used months ago and  have been sitting around waiting to be bound for months and it is just about time we finally have the hot pads done.

I love using the left over scraps up as hot pads.  Its a great way to get them out of the stash and who can't use 100 pair of hot pads.

Reunion Crazy Hot Pads #3

I bet you were hoping not to see any more Reunion hot pads.  Sadly to say it is a slow news day today and so your stuck with these.  If there is any consolation they should be the last for a long time (reunion hot pads, Other hot pads I can promise we will have more of).

Though things are slow today I have been busy I am not sure how much a fan you are of it but I do post pictures as I am working on my Instagram feed.

I am not sure if the widget worked but if so you will be able to see my Instagram feed.  You can see from it each day what I am working on.  I put work in progress shots often on the feed.  If you want up to the minute access to what I am making follow my feed.  You can also see the last few Instagrams on my right side bar. (Yea my feed worked.  The most recent quilt top finish is my Simple Squares Quilt top called Hearts and Bugs)

Purple Hot Pads

Today I have some Purple Hot Pads to show off.  These were made weeks back and I have been forgetting to post it so now is the time.  I think they look pretty cute for scrappy hot pads.

I did get a new pattern done and posted this week on Craftsy.  If you go put a comment on the pattern and then leave a message here about it I will email you a free copy of the pattern.  If you don't like the pattern comment on any of my patterns and I will send you a free copy (its a HST quilt by way)

Reunion Crazy Hot Pads #2

Here are more of our hot pads made out of reunion.  I have had so much fun using up my 2nd bundle of reunion.  I am now on the hunt for a new bundle of fabric.  Tonight I was poking around and found this bundle on Craftsy. I have though about what new bundle I should buy next and what new colors I want in my new quilts.

Moda Fat Quarter Bundle (Grant Park)

I am not yet set on what I want but I know what colors I like best.  I love reunion and want more that is similar if you know of any good lines please let me know. 

Reunion Crazy Hot Pads #1

I have been making a ton of quilts out of my Reunion fabric line.  A few weeks ago I realized I have all these little pieces and scraps that will just never make it into a quilt.  So I started sewing them together and was trying to figure out what to do with them.  Tanya walked into the room and said what are those hot pad's and so well yep I guess that is what they are.  I ended up making I think 13?  Any way these are the first 4 done.  I have never figured out how to do the flip the inside out side (no bind method) of hot pad making so these are all going to be bound just like a quilt (since I am getting pretty good at that).  When I got them all done my wife again points at them and asks me where is the loop so they can hang up.  I quickly pointed out that not one of our own hot pads are hung up, so these will just have to live with out them.

So I have not asked a question for a while but now feel compelled to ask one.  When you make hot pads what is your preferred size, shape, binding method.  How many layers of batting, type of thread etc do you use.  For those curious my wife gave me some cotton thread for these (she says it won't melt, though I am not so worried about the thread, more worried about my hands melting).  As for construction I put 1 layer of cotton batting and one layer of insul bright (though I can't figure out why the 2 sides look different, is one the top and one that bottom? Oh wait that's a new question).  These hot pads were made of 8 1/2 inch square (well they were squared off and cut down after quilting as every thing seems to shift when quilting these buggers) so they end up more 8 inch (or there about) square.  Of course no loop thing as I have not a clue how too hook one on and still make it look like an adult and not a 4 year old sewed them together.

Rail Fence Table Runner and Hot Pad

This cute holiday table runner was made by Tanya, meaning that she pieced it and then quilted it.  She has plenty of times talked about her binding fairy that she has.  Well for this table runner and hot pad she was happy to have the Binding Fairy do all the binding.  It is very interesting.  Just like the Tooth Fairy, all you have to do is put it under your pillow (OK, my sewing table) and the next morning it is done.

This cute table runner was made for one of our Secret Santa Family's this past Christmas.  It was a fun gift for us to give on our final day.  Our Secret Santa family's we give 12 gifts for the 12 days leading up to Christmas.  We are sneaky and stealthy (or try to be) on the first 11 days.  But on the 12th day our family delivers the last gift and lets the family know how much our family loves them.  Each year we pick out 3 family's and this is not a just 12 day thing.  The day after Christmas we start looking for gifts.  We hit all those after Christmas sales and get bargain items.  My kids have more fun doing this then opening their own Christmas each year.