superior threads – Sew Bittersweet Designs

Friday Funny

17 Comments / superior threads / By Melissa Dunworth

Yesterday I took Anne to one of the local quilt shops here to pick up some Superior Threads pre-wound bobbins for the Purple Quilt (I got these ones). While we were there we took a tour of the shop, focusing most attention on the long arm machine they have to rent there. Guess what I will be doing later this year! As we were about to pay Anne asks the nice lady who was helping us where the big spider they used to have was hanging up (it is a pretty cool quilted spider for Halloween). The lady was kind enough to show us to the new Holiday section of the store where the spider was moved to. While her and I were chatting about a cool Christmas quilt lit up with twinkle lights, Anne found a little box full of fat quarters. I had no intention of buying any fabric at the store until she said “But I can’t live without it mommy!” It was at that moment that I knew that I was raising a quilter! LOL I told my mom about it later in the day and she was so proud, my mom said “She’s just like me!” I guess it’s true, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

I leave you with a picture of Anne in all her glory (when she walked up to me dressed like this she said “I’m a lion tamer!”)

Panel Transformation

19 Comments / halloween, superior threads / By Melissa Dunworth

My local quilt shop held a panel transformation contest last month. I totally blew the deadline because I had so much going on last month, but that didn’t stop me from making my project. You were supposed to take a panel and make it something more than just a panel. I didn’t do that exactly. I saw this fabulous panel by Sheri Berry for Northcott, Costume Club. I took the panel and quilted, which you might say…that’s not really transforming it…stick with me people. I swear I did make it original!

(I bet you are wondering if I even quilted it after seeing this pic…)

(Do you see the quilting now? It is all the glowing green! – by the way the panel doesn’t glow, it is cleverly back lit with my TV)

(Light’s Out Costume Club)

This whole wall hanging came about because Anne is obsessed with Halloween and I LOVE nothing more than to put a smile on her face. She fell in love with the panel and I knew I needed to do something that was going to be really neat in her 2 year old eyes. In order to get the panel to glow I used Superior Threads NiteLite. I also purposefully chose colors to blend in when the lights were on so that the wow moment would be when you turned off the lights. Needless to say Anne was tickled!

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Baby Doll Sleep Sack Tutorial

16 Comments / Berenstain Bears, Fat Quarter Shop, Hopeful Threads, Pellon Fusible Fleece, superior threads, tutorial / By Melissa Dunworth

Back in the early 80s, when I was little, I absolutely LOVED the Berenstain Bears. They were my favorite books and I had them all memorized. Needless to say, as soon as I found out I was pregnant I started a collection for my baby. Anne has a fairly decent sized collection and they are her FAVORITE books, just like mommy. We went to the fabric shop last week for a little pick me up and this is what she picked out:

Welcome to Bear Country

This is what I made for her:

I got my inspiration from something I had when I was a little girl that my mom had given to me, probably about Anne’s age.

You will need:

14″ zipper
6 rectangles (6.5″ x 8″)
1 panel print (13″5 x 18.5″)
Pellon Fusible Fleece ( 26.5″ x 18″)
Inside fabric (27″ x 18.5″
Quilting Thread
Basic Sewing Supplies

Use 1/4″ seams throughout

Outside of the Sleep Sack Layout:

Sew your outside sections together:

Sew outside sections to the center panel:

Following the Pellon Fusible Fleece directions – center the PFF to the back of the piece you just assembled. You want to make sure that the PFF is 1/4″ smaller on all sides. You may have to trim it a little.

Next, quilt the panel however you would like to. I quilted in the side panels only and left the center print without any quilting. I also used NiteLite Thread by Superior Threads when I quilted. I couldn’t get a picture in the dark, but it glows so beautifully and Anne loves going to sleep with it in her room glowing away!

Next, place the inside fabric right sides together with the quilted panel. Pin 3 sides, leaving bottom open.

Sew the 3 pinned sides with a 1/4″ seam. Clip the corners.

Turn right side out, pin one side of zipper into place and sew down.

Unzip the zipper and pin to the other side, be careful when sewing the zipper down that you don’t sew through the back of the sleep sack. You should now have a tube when the zipper is zipped.

Turn sleep sack inside out, pin across the bottom and sew bottom closed, if you would like to add an “I love you” tag, this is the point to pin it in. You will want to sew this final seam close to the stopper on the zipper.

Turn right side out and you’re done!

Toddler Approved!

This is my project for the Hopeful Threads June Project. I hope you enjoy, if you make one, I would love to see it!

Bee Blocks, Blog Hop and a Winner

11 Comments / Bee Blocks, Blog Hop, Plum and June, superior threads / By Melissa Dunworth

This month is the first time ever I have waited until the VERY last minute to finish my bee blocks. I’m sure you can understand why, at this point I am just happy I got them done! I only have blocks for Trust Circle of Do. Good Stitches because for May I was the queen bee of Sew Bee Blissful and I am waiting until June to do my 3×6 blocks (I have until July 15th).

We were asked for flying geese, any block, in Navy, Orange, Gray and White. I am hoping these hit the mark!

Blog Hop: Beth from Plum and June is hosting the Let’s Get Acquainted Blog Hop!

Twice a week, 2 bloggers will be featured and they will both have tutorials up on their blogs as well as intros to them and how they got into quilting and blogging. I am so excited to be part of it! If you are interested you should go sign up, originally the blog hop was going to go through summer, but Beth had so much interest that she extended the hop into fall! Also, Beth has a great guest post on her blog right now from Deborah at Whipstitch Fabrics with a giveaway! Go check it out.

Now for a winner: Last week I announced the winners of the Superior Threads Giveaway. Well…I only heard from 2 of the 3 winners (a first for me). I have given the 3rd winner 5 days to respond and now I am picking a new person. I decided to pick the first person to respond – everyone once in awhile the first person to respond should be rewarded just for being that on top of things! (I got this idea from Julie at Intrepid Thread)

So the winner is: Kristy! Who said: “Wow! I had no idea what I was missing!! Glowing thread??? How fun! I think the Treasure Hand Quilting threads might be just what I need for something I’m planning….or maybe not….you’ll have to let me know which I need for ties! ”