Away In the Woods blog

Fuzzy Sock Day

In the winter time, dressing is based on what the weather outside is like. Most of us do it. Our attitude is also foremost in the dressing arrangements department. Well, I have fuzzy sock days. I have these socks I got for Christmas one year. I LOOOVE them . Warm, soft and so fuzzy they don't fit into all my shoes. But the person who gave them to me would not tell me which store they came from.. trade secret or something.

Well, I found them the other day! My Fuzzy socks!! Ok, you want to know? Bed Bath and Beyond. Go figure. I never would have guessed. But there they were in wonderful bright colors just waiting to be found. The picture does not do them justice.. but if you have someone you just don't know what to get for Christmas... check out the fuzzy socks. You can't go wrong!

Can you see how fuzzy they are!!

Stocking Stuffers!

Every year, even if I don't have money for lots of presents, I always make sure there are stockings for my two sons. They are getting older of course, one is 17 and the other is 26. Even stockings get expensive for older kids. Here are a few of my favorites this year. 

1. Not for the boys, but a fold up market bag from Pier 1.

2. Toothpaste was always included in all Xmas Stockings as a kid.

3. Hand Sanitizer. Ok, so my boys might not use it.. but my older one goes hiking and this would be good in his backpack.

4. Wrinkle Releaser from Downy. Ok, if you have boys you will totally understand why I put this in. My oldest never irons anything!

5. Febreze. They are boys.. nuf said.

6. Pocket note: "Note To Self"  I just thought this one was cute. Anyway, they never remember what I told them to do anyway. Hope this helps.

Have a wonderful Xmas!

A little design change is good.

 I decided my blog was a bit distracting. So I decided on a simple design. I'm still learning about all this blogging stuff... I'll get it right eventually. Hang in there with me.. :)

Repurpose your fabric scraps for kitty

 While Stumbling the web one day, I saw a website that suggested making kitty beds from old pillowcases and fabric scraps.I of course cannot find the website again, so can't provide a link.. sorry about that. However, having about 5 stray kitties that live behind my store myself, I though this was a fantastic idea. I produce my fair share of scraps and being a pack rat have the hardest time throwing away even the smallest scrap. I have plenty of sale fabric around so I made a simple sack big enough for a cat bed. I then lined a trash pail with the sack and I'm working on filling it up. When it is full, I will turn under the ends and sew shut. As long as I fill it with fabric only, it is washable. What a great way to repurpose something typically headed for the trash. If you don't have a kitty or puppy that needs a bed, you can donate them to the local humane society.

Sewing for a Change!

Storage Baskets - jcaroline creative

via www.jcarolinecreative.com

Ok, this is so cool. Please check out this blog and the directions to make these storage baskets!  I could make tons of these for my fabric storage!

Alex Anderson's Favorite Tote

Alex called me the other day asking me if I would make a tote for her to take to Houston market. She just got samples of her new fabric line Elizabeth Anne .   I Love Them!!! So here is her tote. I have written the pattern and you can find it at my etsy website: BunnyRoseco.etsy.com. Hope you like it!

 

Guess what I'm doing......

Anyone that knows Alex Anderson can tell you she is an industry unto herself... She has so many cool things going on, and thankfully in my case cannot do everything herself. So I get to help! Alex is redoing one of her many books with beautiful bright fabrics... I can't wait. But today I'm doing paper piecing clean up.. here is a peek at one of the quilts redone....

Ok so it's the back... I'll give you a sneek peek at the front. Only if you promise not to tell!!

Keep a look out for when it comes out...C & T Publishing will have all the news... tell your local quilt shop to keep an eye out too.. you won't want to miss it!

Furoshiki gift wrap

While stumbling around on the net the other day, I came across a wonderful website called furoshiki.com. Furoshiki is a Japanese gift wrap technique with cloth. Being a quilt shop, I thought it would be a great gift wrap for quilters. furoshiki.com  sells very pretty silks to do your furoshiki wraps in. But also on the site is a techniques area. You can see all kinds of ways to wrap gifts. Another place is Japan's Minister of the Environment's site . It is a quick page you can print out and add to your gift wrap for the next person. You can wrap anything from wine bottles to watermelon. Search the word furoshiki and all kinds of cool sites come up. There is even a youtube video on how to fold gift wrap in a few different ways. Check it out! 
 

When you go shopping, you can use this instead of another plastic bag.

Pineneedlers Guild Block of the month

I don't get to go our guild meeting very often, but I went last month. I liked the block of the month pattern so I decided to give it a try. Here is my take on it. Everyone got a piece of black and white fabric (about 4 different fabrics). I chose this one. Here is my block. Everyone will know it's mine because of the colorful fabrics. 

I used a hemming stitch to applique it on. I love the look the outline gives it. I think it is a blind hem stitch. Give it a try sometime. 

  Here is a closer look.

Cutting continuous fabric strips for knitting

I looked and looked for a good tutorial on this and couldn't find one so I'm attempting this myself. Let me know what you think. First shore up the edge of the fabric so you have a nice clean edge.

I put the folded edge of the fabric at the top and the salvages at the bottom. Using your ruler, and rotary cutter, cut through only the top folded edge. Start at the bottom but not at the edge. Cut up from the bottom a little.

Move your ruler over every inch or however wide you are cutting your strips and cut up from the bottom and through the folded edge at the top all the way across your fabric. 

Ok, so I didn't do a great job of perfect measuring, but you get the point.

This is what your fabric should look like when you are done. Now open up your fabric so each end looks like this. You will then want to cut through every other joint.

Now do it again at the other end. But pull the first strip down so you can see where to cut. It will be the second cut over.

The first strip on the right is from the other side. I moved over two slits and cut... then skipped a slit and cut the last one.

You should now have one continuous strip of fabric. The joints will look like this.

I cut a little closer to the edge. Don't cut too close or you might rip the fabric and then have to join it together either by sewing or tying. 

So ends my first tutorial! Hope it helps someone out there in internet land!