My Creative Space

I don't have a design wall in my sewing studio. Mostly because two of the walls are lined with large windows and the other two consist of a lateral file cabinet, a floor to ceiling bookcase, and a couple of oversized units used for storage. So, in absence of a design wall I refer to my Creative Space to describe my current projects.

Lately, most of my sewing time has been making baby gifts. Seems everyone is having a baby… In the last couple of weeks I’ve made twelve burp cloth and receiving blanket sets and I have a couple more sets to complete before I’m finished.

Another project I’ve been working on is a tutorial for the receiving blankets. I need to finalize the written instructions before I post it and I hope to have it posted by the end of this week.

A third project I’m working on is a group challenge. As many of you know, a group of us get together once a month for an all day sew-in in Anacortes. One of our members, Susannah, is working on a group challenge with another group she participates in and we’ve been admiring her progress. At our last sew-in Susannah offered to host a challenge for our group and several of us took her up on it.

Each month, Susannah will announce a challenge as we add rows/layers to our quilt. She gave each participant a piece of fabric in a peppermint print and each project must contain a 3” x 3” square in the completed project. It doesn’t have to be a one piece, but the total used of this print must equal at least this amount.

For this month’s challenge, each participant must create a 22.5” block in a Christmas Carol as their theme. The possibilities are endless and I’ve been designing my block based on the song I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus. Although I have tons of ideas racing through my mind and since it’s a challenge, I’m not able to show anything to you… At least not yet. I have until our December sew-in to complete my block. I sure hope I can meet this challenge in time. LOL

And then, I was browsing through a quilt shop and picked up these deliciously looking charm packets. Where is it written that quilters have to have the characteristic of an overachiever? I’ve been quilting for about thirteen years and I don’t think I’ve met one yet who works on one project at a time. In fact, most have several going at the same time.

Its mind boggling the torture I put myself through sometimes. I’m my own worst enemy. But as my closest friends tell me, I’d be bored otherwise. What’s your theory? I'd love to hear it.

The Letter Carrier Was Good To Me...

Not only did she deliver my friendship bag, but she also delivered my winning prize from Jocelyn, the Happy Cottage Quilter. I just love these fabrics, especially the red print. I've been looking for the perfect project to use it in and I know it will look great. Thanks Jocelyn! Don't forget to visit her blog, Happy Cottage Quilter. She always has sometime great to write about.

I've Received My Friendship Bag!

I received my friendship bag from my swap partner Cynthia. I love all the bright colors and I know the fat quarters she included will work nicely in one of my projects. Cynthia lives in North Caroline and is the grandmother of two. She's new to quilting but I think she did an awesome job on her first friendship bag. Thank you Cynthia!

How To Make A Burp Cloth Tutorial

I drafted this pattern when I was pregnant with my first child and it has gotten a lot of use. These are so much nicer than what you can purchase in the store because they are larger and will stay on your shoulder better, plus they are absorbent. Since you're sewing them, you can use fabrics to coordinate with outfits for special occasions like church or weddings. Of course, a real bonus is that they're quick and easy to make but look as though you spent hours.

The first step is to make the pattern. By measuring the main points, you can easily create the shape as shown above. The length of the burp cloth is 17-inches with the mid-width measuring 7 1/4-inches. On each end of the burp cloth measures 9 1/2-inches across. Because I frequently use this pattern, I ironed a fusible interfacing to one side of the pattern paper before cutting out the pattern to give it stability. Just remember to use a dry iron when you adhere the stabilizer to the paper. I also use a dry press cloth to prevent any of the adhesive from getting on my iron.

Each burp cloth requires two pieces of fabric; one for the front and one for the backing. I traditionally make my burp cloths using a terry toweling with a cotton or knit backing. I purchase towels on sale to use for the front of the burp cloth. Usually I can find them on sale for around $2 to $3 and since I’m able to cut six burp cloths out of one towel, that’s quite a savings. Another version is to use cotton batting (Warm & Natural) sandwiched by two pieces of batiste fabric for an heirloom effect. I have tried flannel in the past, but I don't like using flannel for the front side because it is not absorbent like cotton or terry. It works great for the backing though.

Whether you add embellishments using applique or machine embroidery, you'll need to identify the design placement. To do this, fold the burp cloth in half lengthwise.

Placing pins on each end to mark the center.


Next, fold the burp cloth in half to mark the center of the width with pins on each end.

Open the burp cloth up and fold the lower end up to the center pins marking the center width. This will allow you to mark the center of the burp cloth half where the design will be placed. Mark with pins.

Lightly spray a temporary adhesive to a water soluable stabilizer and place onto the burp cloth were the design will be sewn, adhesive side down. Using a ruler, line the ends of the ruler with the two pins marking the lengthwise center.

Using your favorite marking tool, mark the lengthwise center in the general area of the lower width marks.

Repeat this step with the lower width markings.

Your marking should look like this. By using the water soluable stabilizer, you ensure the markings will not damage your fabric.


If you are doing machine embroidery, hoop an adhesive stabilizer in the appropriate sized hoop for your design. In this demonstration, I used HydroStick Tearaway.

The markings you've made for your design are great tools for placing the burp cloth in the proper placement in the hoop. Simply line up your lower pins with your center markings on the hoop. I prefer to line this up prior to activating the adhesive on the stabilizer. Once I have it aligned, I fold up the burp cloth and moisten my adhesive before I fold it back down and press it onto the stabilizer.

Place the hoop onto your machine and align your needle with the center of your marking.


Here is the finished design after I have removed the excess water soluable stabilizer.

For the version using cotton batting and two pieces of cotton batiste/fabric, I embroider the design using a water solubable stabilizer, hooped with the batiste. I then layer the three layers: backing, cotton batting, top.

Pin the three layers together.

For the backing of the version using the terry toweling, I have folded 1/2 yard of coordinating cotton fabric in half, selvage to selvage edge, and in half again giving you four layers. Pin the pattern to the fabric and cut.

Pin the backing piece to the terry towel, wrong-sides-together.

I prefer to overcast the edges of the burp cloths before finishing the edges. This will hold all the layers together to prevent shifting while attaching the binding. I used a simple zig zag stitch with a 2.5mm width and 2.0mm length.


There are several methods I use for finishing these, including piping, decorative serging, envelope method with a simple edgestitch, or bias binding. For these, I attached bias binding. If you are attaching binding, it must be bias binding because of the curves of the burp cloth. I make my own binding cut in 2 1/2-inches width. It takes approximately 66-inches for the burp cloths.


Using the French bias binding method, line the raw edge of the binding with the raw edge of the burp cloth leaving a 3-inch tail on the front side of the burp cloth. I move my needle over to 6.5 when applying the binding.

I stop sewing at approximately 4-inches away from the beginning of the binding stitching. Remove the burp cloth from your machine and lay the binding to the end and fold back as shown in the picture above.

Fold the end back approximately 1/4" and press.

Set the beginning of the bias binding tail inside the end as shown in the picture above.

Fold the end over.

Finish stitching the binding to the burp cloth. Fold the binding to the back side of the burp cloth making sure to cover the first stitching and attach. I prefer to hand stitch but you can certainly stitch it down by machine.

Here is the finished binding. The hand stitches are invisible from both the front and back sides of the burp cloth, giving it a professional appearance.

Here are the two versions opened up.

Cute teddy bear design as stitched-out on the terry toweling. This is a design set by Nancy Zieman.

This is an heirloom design stitched on the cotton batiste. The design is from a design set by Hatched In Africa.

I hope you're able to understand my instructions. If you're interested in a pdf file of this tutorial, please let me know. Be sure I have your email address, otherwise I won't be able to send the file to you. Lastly, please let me know if you have any questions.

October Challenge Block

Last Saturday I spent the day with a group of friends while sewing, eating, laughing, snacking, sharing, and eating... All day. We have so much fun at these sew-ins and I always look forward to them. This one was extra special because we got to play pass-the-baby-around. Each of us got to nurture our 'Oh, she's such a cute baby!' craving. I also spent the day working on two Jake Heart blocks for a comfort quilt for one of our members and this month's challenge block.

This month's challenge block was selected by my friend Diane. The block is called Tails and Nines which is one I'd not see before. She adapted this from a larger block and although I did a search on Google for it, I was not able to locate a pattern to share with you. It is an easy block and would make a great baby or child's quilt.

Here are this year's challenge blocks so far. I can't wait to see what November's will be.

My Swap Partner Has Received Her Friendship Bag

I received a wonderful email for my Friendship Bag Swap partner, Mariana announcing she has received her friendship bag with all the contents. Mariana lives in Portugal with her daughter Mafalda and is the author of a wonderful blog, Mae da Mafaldinna, where she writes about her life with Mafalda and her quilting. She does beautiful work. Be sure to visit her blog and browse abit. Although it is written in Portuguese, it is also translated into English.

I Won! I Won!

I won Jocelyn’s giveaway over at the Happy Cottage Quilter blog. I’m so excited!

Jocelyn writes a great blog and is a spectacular lady. She makes beautiful quilts and does a wonderful job of taking her readers on exciting adventures. If you visit her blog, be sure to leave a comment to say hello.

Thank you Jocelyn! I’m gonna be doing the Happy Dance all day.

Baby Gift Finished!

Whew! I didn't think I was going to make it, but I did.

Here are two receiving blankets to go along with the two burp cloths I made yesterday. These are approximately 43" x 43" in size, much larger than what you find in the store and the recipient will get lots of use out of them. They're large enough to wrap the baby in while they are young and they also are perfect as a nap blanket when they are toddler age. In fact, my grandchildren used them in pre-school for when they had quiet time.

I'm always getting requests for these sets because they make great baby gifts. I'll write up a tutorial on how to make these sets if there is interest.

Shhhh... Can You Keep A Secret?

Someone has had a baby and I've been busy sewing baby gifts... Actually, one baby has already arrived and the other one is due any day now.

Here's a picture of the fabrics I'm using for their gifts. Aren't they perfect for a baby?

Here are two burp cloths for the baby who is already here. I used a pattern that I drafted when I was pregnant with my oldest. These are great because they stay on the shoulder and are absorbant when you need it.

Here is a close-up of the beautiful stitches on the yellow burp cloth. I'll be working on more gifts tomorrow and will post more pictures then. Remember, this is a secret so you can't tell anyone.