Mother's Day Floral Topiary: Easy, Beginner's Project, No-Sew

   While browsing floral arrangements online, I saw a beautiful topiary arrangement. The price was less beautiful, as the flowers were fresh. It was, however, something I'd love to give my own mother and grandmother this Mother's Day.

Just between you and me, I got my supplies at the Dollar Store. It's not that I have anything against spending more on a gift... but why, when you can get great quality items for less?

You Will Need:
  
A Flower Pot

Styrofoam that will fit in said pot

A Styrofoam Ball

 Decorative Twigs

Various Silk Flowers (at least 2 bunches for the top ball, and 2 bunches for the pot)

Dried Moss

Wire Cutters

Ribbon (optional)

***The Size of the flower pot and the foam ball are entirely up to you. For your reference, my pot is 4.75 inches tall, and the foam ball is 4 inches in diameter. The finished product is 16.5 inches tall.***





1.) Place your foam in the pot, and a stick (I used a bamboo skewer (like for kabobs) on mine but you can easily use one of the twigs) in the center for the foam ball.

 

2.) Use a pencil to mark where the bottom of the ball is. Remove the ball and then cut twigs to surround the skewer, using your mark as reference for length. Stick them into the foam and replace the ball.

3.) Use the moss to cover the foam in the pot.

4.) To make short flower pieces, first take the flowers and greens off of the wire stems.

Then cut the wire stem into short pieces.

Place the individual flowers onto the short wire pieces.

5.) Poke these flower pieces into the pot-foam (through the moss) until you like the fullness.

6.) Using the same process for making individual flower pieces, poke flowers into the ball- alternate with the greens- until you like the fullness.

7.) Dab some hot glue at the base of your twigs and apply the end of your ribbon. Wind the ribbon around the twigs and glue in place at the top. (If you don't want to use ribbon, you can gather your twigs together at the top with a rubber band. Just make sure to cover it with the flowers and greens)

You're finished!

How easy was that!? I made these myself and I'm still looking at them thinking (a' la Stacy on What Not to Wear), "Shut-up!"

These came to about $8 each, but you will have twigs, moss, wire stem, and greens left over.

Quilt in a Weekend: Pinwheel Crib Quilt, or Wall Hanging

    As my siblings, cousins, and I all get a little older there has been a lull in the births in the family, so we were very excited to learn of a new little bundle of joy on the way. One of the things I just love to make is a baby quilt. It's a quick project and when else can you use those cutesy fabrics?

  Since cousin A. is expecting a little lad, I delved into my blues and greens and decided to put together a pinwheel quilt.

Pinwheel blocks are a good way to use up scraps, and they can be whimsical or even kind of posh. I've used this pattern to make a previous baby quilt, as well as a pillow and a couch throw.

   Here is the fabric pallet I chose:

1.) What makes this an easy block is a simple trick to making Half Square Triangles. So to start, cut your squares 7/8 of an inch larger than you want your finished square to be. I am cutting mine 4 7/8 inches, 12 squares each of 4 fabrics.

3.) Lay one square on top of the other (right sides together) and mark the center from corner to corner.

3.) Use this mark as a guideline to sew 1/4 inch away on either side.

By the way, this is a great time to use chain piecing.

4.) When all the pieces are sewn on both sides of the center line, cut on that center line, press open, and you will have two half Square Triangles.

5.) Arrange your pieces in the pinwheel pattern.

(Tun the pieces a little and you could also make the Broken Dishes pattern.)

6.) Sew your pieces together in sets (top, and bottom two) and press.

7.) Then sew these two sets together, press, and trim up the sides. As we learned with the Valentine's Heart Pillow: sloppy sides make for sloppy projects.

8.) Arrange in the order you desire.

9.) Cut the short sashing, 3 inches wide by the length of your blocks (3in.X8in. for mine), and sew to the bottom of the blocks **except for the bottom row**.

10.) Cut long sashing strips to go between the rows, 3in. wide by the length of the row. I like to cut the strips a couple of inches longer than the row just to make sure I have enough.

11.) Using the same method, cut and sew 3in.-wide strips to frame in the blocks:

First the top and bottom

Then the long sides

12.) Then layer with your batting and backing, and baste or pin together (more on the layers and basting).

13.) Quilt or Tie

14.) Then finish off with the binding.

View of the back

I can't tell you how much I love this one. I'm not bragging, I just get a kick out of seeing it all come together and imagining the joy and warmth it will bring.

Valentine's Day From-The-Heart Pillow

If you have wanted to pick up quilting, but would like to try a smaller project first, or maybe you are looking for a beginner's project... a pillow is a great place to start. It makes a quick and easy gift, and perfect for a young sewer, too!

You Will Need:

• Scraps of fabric
• Craft Stuffing or a Small Pillow Form

Cut:
2 Rectangles of the Heart Fabric: 3.5in x 6.5in
4 Squares of the Neutral (white) Fabric 2in x 2in
2 Squares of Neutral Fabric 3.5in x 3.5in
2 Strips of Neutral 2in x 6.5in
2 Strips of Neutral 2in. x 9in
2 Strips of the Accent (floral) Fabric 2in x 9in
2 Strips of Accent 2in x 13.5
1 Square of Accent 13.25in x 13.25in

1.) Using the Rectangle of Heart Fabric, and one 2 x 2 Neutral Square, sew the square in the corner on the diagonal.

Cut one quarter of an inch away from the stitching taking the corner off, and press open.

Repeat this step with the opposite corner. Do the same for the second Heart Rectangle.

2.) Sew the 3.5in Neutral Square onto the Lower-Right corner of one piece and the other onto the Lower-Left of the second piece. Sew as you did the smaller squares, cutting off the corner and pressing out.

3.) Matching the seams, sew the two halves together and press.

***IMPORTANT STEP: Use your rotary cutter to trim/even out these edges. As you will see in the next step I didn't do this, and it throws off the whole center.


4.) Sew the two short Accent strips to the top and the bottom of your block and press.

5.) Sew the long pieces to the sides. Press, and even the edges.

See that crooked center? Yep. That's what happens when I don't even the edges.

6.) Do the same with the neutral strips.

7.) Right-sides together, sew the block to the 13in x 13in square, leaving a section open for stuffing.

8.) Turn right-side out and stuff, then stitch the opening closed.

What a cute holiday accent and a great way to begin a love of sewing!