Sunday, June 24, 2012

GRRRRRRRRRRRR.........this makes me MAD !!!!

Some of my sweet Blogland neighbors have let me know that there seems to be a malware (sp?) warning on this blog ......... now THAT makes me MAD !!!! THIS MEANS WAR ! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR !!!!!!! I apologize to the rest of my Blogland neighbors and I'm trying to get this taken care of as soon as possible. Be back soon ! (with a spic and span cleaned up blog !) Toodles, Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Friday, June 8, 2012

Desperate Housewives Quilt Block and HOUSE FOR SALE !

HOUSE FOR SALE Wisteria Lane; Moonbeams in a Jar Real Estate...... Known as "Honeybee House", this cute cottage has a cozy fireplace, a happy little kitchen, and lots of lovely built ins (including a wonderful window seat surrounded by built in bookshelves facing the fireplace. There is also a lovely cottage garden in front and an overflowing vegetable garden near the kitchen door). Make an offer as we don't anticipate this house to stay on the market very long (all of the Desperate Housewives on Wisteria Lane have been fighting over it.) BUT, if you do hesitate and miss out on this wonderful little abode, don't despair because here are the directions to make one (out of fabric , of course!) (Jane from Quilt Jane has sweetly agreed to allow me to design a block for her Desperate Housewives Quilt Project).......................................................... Materials List:.......................................................... white solid fabric (5 1/2 inch square)......................... black print fabric (8 x 9 inch piece)............................. red print fabric (8 x 5 inch piece)........................... yellow gold print fabric ( approximately 6 x 6 inch piece) lite fusible web..................................................... black embroidery floss................................................ small yellow button................................................ Cutting instructions: ................................................... white solid = 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 inch square...................... black print fabric cut (four) 2 inch x 5 1/2 inch strips ..... red print fabric cut (four) 2 inch x 2 inch squares......... ........................................................................................................................................................................... Sew block pieces together using 1/4" seams. .................................. Print out applique pattern pieces (found on PDF Honeybee House pattern). Trace pattern pieces onto paper side of lite fusible web. Follow instructions on fusible web package to fuse onto fabric. Continue to follow instructions on web package to fuse fabric applique pieces onto background block......................................................................... Machine applique using black thread and straight stitch just inside each piece. Don't forget to stitch your window panes in on the window and door.......................................................................................Using a light box (or window)and a pen with disapeariing ink transfer embroidery design (little flower on each side of house and smoke curl coming out of chimney) onto quilt block........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... With a single strand of embroidery floss, backstitch flower designs and smoke curl; sew button "doorknob" onto door ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................and ta da you're DONE ! one finished "Honeybee House" quilt block (who would have thought building a house could be so easy? and those guys on HGTV make such a big deal about it ! hmmph!) .............................................................re: downloadable PDF applique pattern page .... I'm sorry to say my PDF file skills are not the best (took me FOREVER to figure out how to do it!). Anyhow, it seems when you print out the pattern, it comes out smaller than it should be (don't know how the heck to fix that ..... feel free to tell me what I'm doing wrong!) So, I'm thinking you could just enlarge the images on a copier by some % of some sort (have no idea what %) ... so I measured the pieces and hope that will be of some help. The width of the top of the house piece = 3"; the width of the bottom of the house piece = 2 1/2 "; the sides of the house piece = 2 3/4 "; the width of the bottom of the roof piece = 3 1/4"; the sides of the roof = 2 1/2 "; the door is 1 1/2" from top to bottom; the "honeybee" tear drop shaped piece = 1 3/4" top to bottom. Thanks for your patience!.......Be back soon! .............................................Toodles,......................................................Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Friday, June 1, 2012

Coming soon to a coffee klatch near you......

Good morning Blogland Neighborhood. The MIBAJ Design Dept and Sewing and Quilting Dept has had the sewing machine and iron fired up to work on
.....this quilt block which will be appearing in ....
.....The Desperate Housewives Quilt next week. You should grab your coffee and run over to Quilt Jane to see her fun blog and all of the quilt blocks she and other guest bloggers have designed! Be back soon! Toodles, Mary Anne (aka Mare)