I seem to be getting a warning and blocking from my virus checker about a Trojan virus every time I open my blog in Firefox. Is anyone else having this happen with my blog? I am wondering if someone has attached something to my blog or if I have a problem with my computer in general? So far the virus prevention program I have on my computer is blocking it but want to know if the blog is a problem so I can get it resolved before someone else gets hacked.
If it is my Blog that has the problem what are my options? Please advise if you have any suggestions.
Thanks in advance….Lynn
Monday, December 31, 2012
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Monday, December 24, 2012
Another Jeans Stocking for the Fireplace
When I found out my brother would be here at the same time as our daughters and their families this Christmas I knew I needed to make a stocking for him from another old pair of jeans. If you want to make one of your own please refer to the Tips and Tutorials page of my blog for the 5 part series of photos and directions for making these stockings from an old pair of denim blue jeans. Starting on November 21, 2010, I made 12 of these stockings.
Here are the pieces needed to make the stocking….a front cut from the waistband for the top of the this piece, a back piece that is cut from the hem of the jeans for the top edge and cut about 1/2” wider than the front piece, two pieces of cotton print for the toe pieces and a long piece with the excess fabric trimmed away from the flat felled seam of the jeans. As you can see I left the pocket intact and hanging out right now. It will be trimmed off after the pieces are stitched together.
Using coordinating or contrasting thread stitch some lines of decorative stitches with your machine to outline the fused toe and heel pieces and anywhere else you want to add a little embellishment.
Pin the front to the back, straightening the pocket that hangs out to lie flat. Match the top edges and pin the layers together and as you can see the back sticks out beyond the front. The edges will be stitched 1/4” inside the front pieces then trim the back even with the front. RAW EDGES stay on the outside so this is an easy stocking to make. No lining either.Stitch a loop from the flat felled seam and stitch to the back edge of the stocking and hang. I wanted to add my brother’s name to the stocking so I took a piece of the denim and hand guided the fabric to machine embroider his name on it. I cut a slit in the top, wrapped it under the belt loop then stitched then ends together. I wanted this stocking to be used again if we have guests at Christmas so the name can be changed, easy peasy!
All finished and ready to use. We celebrated with our daughters and their families and my brother over the weekend. Chris was so surprised at the stocking and the goodies it contained. Christmas day we will travel to see my mother and more siblings so more gatherings to come.Lynn
Update: Here are the links to all the stocking blog posts.
Part 1 Christmas Stocking Fun
Part 2 Christmas Stocking Fun Part 2
Part 3 Christmas Stocking Tips
Part 4 Denim Jeans Christmas Stockings
Part 5 More Stocking Hints And Observations
Part 6 Two More Christmas Stockings
Part 7 Hanging The Stockings
Part 8 More Stockings To Show
Part 9 Another Jeans Stocking For The Fireplace
Part 10 Pattern
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Ooops!
The other day I dropped my camera bag, just slipped out of my hand and landed, kerplunk, on the floor. I didn’t think anything was hurt but when I took my camera out of the bag this is what I found. Yes I broke the UV filter so had to buy another. Thank goodness it wasn’t the lens as a filter is much less expensive for sure. I had my camera in the bag with this shorter lens on and my charger below the lens so when I dropped the bag the cap was bumped loose by the charger and smashed into the filter. I am glad the filter was there to protect the lens so it goes to show they are a good investment.No one will ever accuse me of being graceful!
Later,
Lynn
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Christmas Cardinal
Today, as I promised, I have a surprise…..I am giving you all the applique pattern for my “Christmas Cardinal” wall hanging. I have made a PDF file of my line drawing that you can download here. Remember this is the drawing I worked from and is maybe a little rough with some smudges but the design is sharp. This can be appliqued with your choice of applique method but I fused the shapes to my background then edge stitched them when I quilted the piece. Remember you will have to reverse the design if you fuse your design unless you don’t care if the bird and branch go the other way.
I added the simple borders to my background rectangle before I appliqued the designs. Cut a rectangle you feel fits the size of the applique then add borders. I find it is easier to center the design that way with the applique fused on after the borders are stitched to the center section. The narrow border on my quilt is a finished width of 1/2” and the wider border is finished at 2 1/4”. The borders are simple and easy to do as I didn’t miter but stitched the side pieces on first then the top and bottom borders…do the same for both borders. 
I used some shiny red thread and one of the embroidery stitches on my machine to stitch the decorative stitching on the inside of the narrow red border – something new for me. I like the way it adds another design element. You can see some of the background quilting on this photo too. I did some swirls, some feathers, some bubbles and some echo quilting. I pretty much just quilted what I wanted and it was fun to not have a plan and to just quilt.
I used some shiny red thread and one of the embroidery stitches on my machine to stitch the decorative stitching on the inside of the narrow red border – something new for me. I like the way it adds another design element. You can see some of the background quilting on this photo too. I did some swirls, some feathers, some bubbles and some echo quilting. I pretty much just quilted what I wanted and it was fun to not have a plan and to just quilt.
To add more bling I couched down some heavy gold thread/cord using 39C foot on my Bernina. I started and ended in one corner then buried the tail in the layers. This is something I have not done before either and I would definitely do it again as it was really easy to stitch this thread/cord onto the edge of that border.
Something that did not work so well was how I finished the edge of the quilt. I decided I wanted to couch the gold thread/cord next to the binding too. I stitched the binding to the back first and intended to pull it to the front and couch the thread down with a zig-zag stitch at the same time as I was stitching the binding to the front. (BIG MISTAKE!) I should have put the binding on the way I usually do…stitch it to the front then pull to the back and either hand stitch or stitch in the ditch from the front to secure and then add the cord last after the binding was finished. As you can see from the photo above I had a hard time stitching the cord and binding simultaneously. I had several areas on the binding that I had to go back and stitch down as the first stitching did not catch the binding. When you look at the finished photo at the top or bottom the binding looks wavy and it is because of all the problems I had getting it stitched down and using the striped fabric accentuates the waviness. I want to block the quilt at some point and hope to get it more square but hung it on the wall for now.
It is not perfect but I had fun making it and will enjoy hanging it. The Happy Holidays sign is one of those temporary clear decals that I stuck to the wall beside my Christmas Cardinal.
Something that did not work so well was how I finished the edge of the quilt. I decided I wanted to couch the gold thread/cord next to the binding too. I stitched the binding to the back first and intended to pull it to the front and couch the thread down with a zig-zag stitch at the same time as I was stitching the binding to the front. (BIG MISTAKE!) I should have put the binding on the way I usually do…stitch it to the front then pull to the back and either hand stitch or stitch in the ditch from the front to secure and then add the cord last after the binding was finished. As you can see from the photo above I had a hard time stitching the cord and binding simultaneously. I had several areas on the binding that I had to go back and stitch down as the first stitching did not catch the binding. When you look at the finished photo at the top or bottom the binding looks wavy and it is because of all the problems I had getting it stitched down and using the striped fabric accentuates the waviness. I want to block the quilt at some point and hope to get it more square but hung it on the wall for now.
It is not perfect but I had fun making it and will enjoy hanging it. The Happy Holidays sign is one of those temporary clear decals that I stuck to the wall beside my Christmas Cardinal.This is the first time I have downloaded a PDF file so hope it works. I won’t know until I post this blog entry and try it out so if the post is here then disappears for a while it is because I didn’t get it to work.
I posted, now edited the post to upload the PDF of the pattern from Google Docs but you still have to sign in to be able to print the pattern. I had used Scribd the first time and didn't like doing it that way. Does anyone have a better way to load a file to blogger? I usually compose my blog posts in Windows Live Writer.
Until Later,
Lynn
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Time…A Fleeting Thing
I have said it before and will say it again….”Where has the time gone?” I feel so guilty for not posting anything since the end of November that I hang my head in shame. Once I didn’t post anything for a week it got harder and harder to sit down and type up something to post.
I have been concentrating and spending a lot of time on my weight loss regime it seems. Not that I am exercising all the time or planning what to eat all the time but it does seem I am focused on that right at the moment. As of last weeks Weight Watchers weigh in I have lost 18.6 lb. now. I try not to obsess about my weight loss but have a lot of bad habits I need to curtail so end up thinking about it quite a bit and planning meals to keep me on track.
This "no posting" time has not been completely without sewing/quilting though. I designed and made this quick small wall hanging I finished a week ago. Hopefully tonight I will get my next blog post finished and I'll show you how I made it plus a special surprise at the end….now I have you really curious don’t I?
Until Later...hopefully not too much later this time!
Lynn
I have been concentrating and spending a lot of time on my weight loss regime it seems. Not that I am exercising all the time or planning what to eat all the time but it does seem I am focused on that right at the moment. As of last weeks Weight Watchers weigh in I have lost 18.6 lb. now. I try not to obsess about my weight loss but have a lot of bad habits I need to curtail so end up thinking about it quite a bit and planning meals to keep me on track.
This "no posting" time has not been completely without sewing/quilting though. I designed and made this quick small wall hanging I finished a week ago. Hopefully tonight I will get my next blog post finished and I'll show you how I made it plus a special surprise at the end….now I have you really curious don’t I?Until Later...hopefully not too much later this time!
Lynn
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