Fabric and Memories

Journaling with out a junk journal! It can be decorative AND simple!

2021-06-06T12:26:00.003-04:00

I got tired of writing in a "junk journal".. or maybe I should say it just became to much to deal with to write in one with all the embellishments and decorative things. and the book not opening flat for writing on the pages and a few other issues. So in my new endeavor of branching out from "junk journaling" to just writing down thoughts, memories, ideas etc, I found a new style of decorating pages. Washi tape, stickers (so no bulk) and a bound book! I always hated making the covers of a "junk journal" but if you put bulk embellishments in a bound book, you end up with "alligator mouth" journals.. which are also more trouble than they are worth! So in participating in several online craft groups, I discovered the perfect journal. Mildly decorated pages with just washi tape and stickers - and a bound book! I got these amazing bound 6x8 books on sale at Michaels for $3.00! Of course, I bought several!

Until I was able to collect some washi tape, I used pattern paper left over from the scrapbook days and cut strips of paper to make (what I call) "mock washi tape"! Then I realized... I can now print IN COLOR up to 100 pages a month and unlimited ink because of the ink program I am on.. and got the idea to print out images to mimic as stickers and glue on the page! So I scouwered Pinterest for images I wanted and copied them (as long as they didn't have a copyright issue) and made my own stickers!

Then, recently, when I was talking to my grand daughter and told her what I was doing, she mentioned that it was odd that we were on the same wave length, that she had recently been thinking that she thinks she wants to start to write things down too! Well, that was my cue! I had made her 2 "junk journals" and she never really got into writing in them, and I thought maybe it was because they were very distracting and overwhelming and more fun to look at than to write in, so I thought... why not a book like the one I made myself? Just mildly and simply decorated pages and plenty of room to write! This book is 8x9inches.

So this is what I came up with. I really think she will like it and I really hope it will encourage her to just jot a little down every now and then! It's a start! I will be sending it to her next week, (we are on opposite sides of the country) and will wait for that phone call!!! There are quite a few pages, so just scroll down and check it out! if you see any ideas or style you like, feel free to copy to your own book/journal!

The first page I wrote to her about why the book and what I hope for her..

I used a daily devotional book I got at the thrift store and cut out phrases, including the person that said it. I used ones of people she would know... John Wayne(Her father is a HUGE JW fan!), Helen Keller. Eleanor Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, Ann Landers, JK Rowlings (she was a huge Harry Potter fan) and just a few good phrases and glued them to the pages.

Had these large stickers left over in my scrapbook stash... John Deere and puppies

This page has just a phrase of simplicity and then the washi tape. I did cut a few of each "girl" in the tape, made like a single person sticker and put them on the edges of the page....

These are printed logo kind of pictures about home grown foods.

She told me she wanted to do some traveling after she grads high school so I printed out some postmarks from various countries and decorated this page with them.. intending that it might encourage her to write down NOW what she hopes to do in the future and hopefully one day.. she can make it happen!

PLENTY of room for writing or even if she just wants to draw a picture or glue/tape something on the page!

This page is washi tape and some stickers I found at the Dollar Store

A post mark from Santa Claus... I did this page and wrote on it for her as every year I would write them letters from "Santa" and send them for a "Santa's Workshop, North Pole" postmark and every year she and her sisters each got a letter from santa So that is a memory I hope she keeps so I wrote about it on this page

So much space for her to write her own thoughts and memories.

As I got into the decoration of the pages, I thought to use things she liked.. she loves to read so I made this page with printed out books - I usually choose the asethetic look of "looks real" instead of cartoony or drawing style. These stacks of books are "real" looking and I thought she could start a list of books she reads through high school on these 2 pages.

These mushrooms are off Pinterest and I just printed them out and did alot of "fussy cutting" and they are perfect "stickers"!

More Pinterest images!

I saw one lady in a group, doing decoration in the middle of the pages.. and thought.. "why not?" so this is what I did.. just printed out the image of the flowers, fussy cut them and glued them to the center of the pages. I have to say this is my favorite "style" or "way" to do a page!

More fussy cut images of retro signs.

Quick, easy and beautiful! Just take coordinating washi tape and make different length and cut the end to look like the end of an "arrow" and line them on the page!

She loved hedgehogs so I printed these out and made cute little hedgehog in the lawn!

She likes Panda bears so this is 3 different images from Pinterest. The bamboo in one, the mushroom and then the bears.. all fussy cut and then put into a "scene" on the page!

So...hope you got some good ideas or some inspiration to keep on being creative and making journals! Memories fade in time.. no matter what anyone says! Keep them close.. write them down!!!

Thanks for stopping by and...keep on preserving those memories! Want to read more at Fabric and Memories? CLICK HERE
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When Its More About the Writing Than About The "Junking" Journal ....

2021-05-10T15:48:00.002-04:00

I have so many junk journals made with all junk papers, signatures, handmade covers from cracker boxes, self bound etc . But now my life has changed and I need to record more memories and say more things as I am away from my grand children and I want to remember them and make sure they remember me! So I have decided to put away all the supplies and embellishments and focus on the writing part more than the creating part of Journal. Plus, I have made them each 2 junk journals, so they have those to write in themselves so this is more just a reading excursion!

The person that introduced me to this has a facebook page (information below). She has been making amazing journals with just minor decoration and LOTS of writing! The two put together and they are amazing pages! She has inspired me to do the same! She has a bit more talent than I do, but... I'm Learning! Thanks, Terri!

The first book I am working on is for myself. I have a very boring life, so not much to write about but I find something every now and then! Previously, I had been writing memories of the my past. Now.. I figure I'd better be writing about now for the future in case I am not here to write about my past when it becomes the future! (Did that make sense???!!)

So I found this bound book at Michaels Clearance shelf. Nicely bound, thick pages, and just the right size. I did cut out some of the pages to allow for the thickness when adding things, but also because technically, the book is a planner and I didn't want those pages anyway! I got some Scripto colored gel pens that don't soak through the paper and are bright enough colors so they can be seen without being washed out against the white page.

So here are some pictures of what I have done so far. Not amazing, but at least it is on paper and I am learning!

This is the cover.. a band closure. I made the tabs.. printed them out from online and then cut them and just randomly put them on the pages. Basically, they mean nothing just a few words of inspiration!

Below.. I just wrote things. Glued a few words from a magazine, added a bit of washi tape.

This page I added a "flip page". I had this from another book I was making and didn't use. So I taped it to the page with washi tape and then wrote about it on the opposing page. But flip it over and there is writing on the previous page!

This one.. not the best visually, but it was a "starter" page... and the 2 circle images I cut from a magazine - instead of stickers! I had some old stamps from scrapbooking days and just jotted down a few lines

Another starter page as I didn't have much washi tape. But these "starter" page I talk about.. helped me get into the groove and do a little better next time.

These are pages I (pre) decorate and then I will be ready to just write... any time I have something to say or want to tell the girls about. I have found that really helps too... embellish many pages... then write. Don't embellish one, then write and repeat! And I am also getting over my over organizing talent and not making them in chronological order! I have many decorated pages.. I find one that I like at that moment or one that matches what I am writing about and I start writing! Amazing how something so insignificant can calm the stress!!!

So, the journey has begun. I have several pages done, many more to go, but I am finding it easier to just jot a few things down every other night or so. Now.. my next problem issue.. my handwriting! I have to print as since they don't teach cursive in school anymore, the girls won't be able to read it, so I'd better print. But my printing is sloppy, so I work hard to write nicely! So, stay tuned for more ideas and inspiration. I have 2 other books I am working on!

If you want to see where I got my inspiration from...

Meet >>>>>>> Terri Dudash - Artist

(Thanks, Terri!)

If you want to check out my Junk Journals... at the top of the page.. click on "Junk Journals" and scroll through all of them!

Thanks for stopping by and...keep on preserving those memories! Want to read more at Fabric and Memories? CLICK HERE

Emily Junk Journal

2020-12-19T12:49:00.002-05:00

I made this Junk Journal for my 8 year old grand daughter that is an outdoorsey kid. I am trying to teach my grand kids.. you don't need to sit and write pages .. write as much as you want.. but really, just a name, date and a sentence or two is enough to keep that memory for later! So far, they are not listening!! Enjoy the video and feel free to collect some ideas for your own! Most every thing in this journal is hand made, scrap/junk stuff I found. ... meaning... not much store bought or digi downloaded! Just stuff I had around the house or Dollar store

The Harry Potter quilt is FINALLY finished!!

2019-09-22T16:35:00.002-04:00

Harry Potter is in the House!!!! Finally!!!!

It has been a long, hard journey for the past 6 months, but finally... IT IS FINISHED!!!
Well, actually 3 are finished! I have 3 grand daughters that have vowed to be "Potterheads" for the rest of their lives so for Christmas this year.. they are getting an amazing Harry Potter quilt.. made by their favorite grandmother... ME!

At first, I was so excited as I was making 9 patch blocks but adding images and words, etc. I was fortunate to find several fabrics at Joann's Craft store as I hate buying fabric online. I like to see what I am getting, see the colors are right, etc, so, I only buy online when I have no other choice. But the prints I got were amazing and.. using a coupon, got them at 50% off regular price.

And I use several kinds of squares like Flying Geese etc and also did some machine embroidery with Glow in the Dark thread. Yes.. it really glows in the dark. I used it as the top thread and neutral cotton in the bobbin. Also, several, what I call, "glitter fabrics".. they really do glitter/shine, but there is nothing that flakes off like actual glitter.

2 of the girls, being sisters, share a room so I wanted to make them like a bed spread of the same pattern, but some differences to make the quilt their own. I bought the panels for the center and kept those the same so the room doesn't look jumbled with different bedspreads. I then went back to math class and did the math to add sashings and 9-patch blocks to make the quilts twin size. They ended up being 70"x90". The older sister is rather tall so I wanted the bedspreads/quilts longer for her sake so I made them both the same size.

The width pattern of the quilt is ... center panel, 2" sashing (black with gold dots), 4" sashing (blue with gold sparkles) 9-patch block (9"x9" finished block and each square is 3"x3" finished), blue sashing, black sashing and blue binding. The length pattern is the 9"x9" finished block and Black with gold dots sashings. I know they are going to love the golds in the fabric as they stand out very nicely!
I was glad to have my design wall...which is a flannel blanket with a casing on top, and an expansion rod through the casing and put up over the closet sliding doors. This way, I have the wall and can still get in the closet when needed. I put each block up until I had the right amount of them, then placed them as I wanted them to be on the quilt.

MAKING THE BLOCKS

This is one block. I used Flying Geese to make the pointed squares and then cut out the faces of the characters and with double sided fusible interfacing... fused them to the block. You can also see the black with gold dot fabric. They are raised up and you can't iron them.. they melt off! The other square I made was an "Hour Glass" and I used black and beige glitter fabric. It really does glitter/shine, but nothing comes off!

This 9-patch I fussy cut images from the fabric - the square of the school (top left) and the square with Harmonie and Ron (just below that and the dragon middle right) You might notice I did embroidery on some of the squares.. this is done with "glow in the dark" thread. Yes, it really does glow! I picked 15 names of characters and did machine embroidery and wrote the names... notice Hermione Granger in the lower right square and then I did a fussy cut of her face and fused it on! On the left bottom corner...another fussy cut of the Griffindorf logo fused on AFTER the 9-patch was finished.

This one has HST's for each corner, a Flying Geese for the arrows and a fussey cut "Harry Potter" from the fabric. Also, fussy cuts are of the 4 house banners. Another thing I did that I think the kids are going to love, is this one fabric I got was like a newspaper with phrases and things. I cut them out, fused them to the finished block like in the upper right corner here. Again, some machine embroidery of names in the 2 lower corner squares.

This ne has a few of all of the above! Glow in the Dark name (top,left) Flying Geese (top right). Fussey cut from fabric (middle left and middle right and lower right. The center square and lower-middle are made into one rectangle and I used the Ravenclaw logo and banner and added a newspaper headline.

This block had HST's on 2 of the corners with fussey cut add-ons and the glittery silver fabric. The center has Hogwarts fused to it. And as you can see, other squares are cut from the fabric as is.

This one is one of my favorites because I made the three characters on the center of 2, flying Geese sewn together. And you can see the blue and gold sparkle fabric used for the sashing.

This one shows more of the machine embroidery with the Glow in the Dark thread of 6 names. All the squares are HST's. Amazing how many different designs you can make with HST's.

This is the back. I used Maurders Map fabric, the same blue as on the front and the Harry Potter with drawings of the Hogwarts school all around. The binding is black. This is a close up of the added headline, fused to the sashing. These 2 are quilts, cotton front, VERY THIN batting and cotton back. The point is.. they are on their beds all the time.. lot of sitting on them and being used so I wanted them a little thicker to with stand the use of being sat on etc, all the time.

AND THE THIRD ONE....

I did a third one for the other grand daughter. she is older and being in a warmer climate, she wanted less warmth so hers is more of a blanket quilt. Cotton top, NO BATTING and cotton flannel back.

These are a few blocks from hers. Again, HST's with the glitter fabric and some fussey cuts.

This one has a "Golden Snitch" HST. I did some with the gold glitter (beige background)with black glitter to imitate a Snitch also.

Golden Snitch (black and gold/beige)

The Golden Snitch black with gold triangles

This is the back. It is solid and I just fused a few of the fussey cuts around it. 100% cotton flannel and I fused (then machine sewed around) a few fussey cuts from the "newspaper" fabric.

This is the front. Hers is only different in that I made each block separately. I had alot of fun doing this.. just create as I go and make 16 for each quilt

I then thought to make them each a pillowcase to go with the quilts. These two are for the sisters sharing a room.. the black trim is different so they each have "their own" pillowcase!

And although I don't have a picture, I also made them each a 7"x9" zipper pouch. I used the leftover 3,1/2x3,1/2 inch squares..sewed 6 together and that was the front.

And THAT's my World of Harry Potter for the last 6 months, which also included one month of NO sewing machine as both of mine were in the shop for maintenance and a massive struggle with FMQ'ing stitches not doing right, only to figure out.. I had my thread on the spool wrong! Now THAT was a lesson learned that with NEVER be forgotten!

I hope you have enjoyed the journey and gotten some good ideas for your own Harry Potter quilts or blankets. And with that.. I will not be saying the words "Harry Potter" again at least until Christmas when the quilts will be loved and adored by my wonderful granddaughters!

Activity Blanket for an Infant.

2019-09-12T16:02:00.003-04:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NVvFOQOTGA

Thanks for stopping by and...keep on preserving those memories! Want to read more at Fabric and Memories? CLICK HERE
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TreeHouse Playground Quiet Book Page

2019-08-03T17:02:00.000-04:00

I just finished this page...it started as a playground page, and then I put a tree house on it and it turned into a treehouse page! The page is 11x11 inches and has fusible medium weight interfacing on the back of the fabric. All is felt except the tree which is a "wood grain" novelty cotton print. I used snaps, but am not that happy with them but that could be my fault....I will keep working with them and see how they go. Otherwise, I sew velcro on the backs.

A "jungly gym" climbing bars, a rope ladder, a teeter-totter and a tire swing are the activities and the hidden spots are behind the tree leaves and a "door" in the tree trunk. The front of the tree house pulls forward to "get into" the house and snaps to hold the images. The tire swing is on a little bit of embroidery floss so it can be pulled up and down when ready to swing!

Here is a You Tube video of it...take a look, leave a comment, subscribe to my channel and then have fun creating your own quiet book pages!

Blast Off! New Quiet Book Page!

2019-08-03T06:30:00.000-04:00

Another page in my quiet book for my grand son....It is not bound in the book yet...but I couldn't wait to share it!

AND NOW FOR THE VIDEO!!!!

For more of my quiet book You Tube videos.....

Quiet Book Page Ideas by Cheri the Crafy Nanny

How to Make 3-D Images for Quiet Books

2019-08-02T20:14:00.000-04:00

Many have asked me how I make, what I call, 3-D Images for my Quiet Books. I love making these as they are so nice for using with velcro for them to stick to the page or just to have them playable on the page! So I did a video about how I do them with double sided fusible interfacing! It is a great way to create playable features for any quiet book. Take a look!

Dinosaur Digs Quiet Book Page

2019-08-02T15:30:00.000-04:00

Dinosaur Digs is the opposite page to Dinosaur World that I did previously. Kind of like a "before and after" theme? Firs the dinosaurs are roaming the world, next, they are fossils at a Dinosaur Dig! What toddler wouldn't love to dig for dinosaur bones! Plus.. on this page, not only does the child get to find the dinosaurs...they get to actually (well, almost actually!) dig up some bones! Took me a while to figure how to make a page that was able to "dig" on, but I think what I have designed will make my little grand son happy for some time!
I used all fabric... browns that looked like rock! The background is a sparkle looking print..perfect for a dinosaur dig! I made the rocks go around the edges of the page, and made them into pockets so a dinosaur could "hide" under or behind the rocks to be found!

There are even some bones left in the side of the mountain...he can see, but can't dig for, but he can imagine! I thought they were just a nice little accent for the page and its theme.

The "middle" rock that is to be "dug" around.. is made out of "sloppy" cut triangles, (meaning no exact straight sides, but curvy and ....sloppy!) Then I placed some side by side around in a circle, and then some on top of those, so he digs through first row of "rock" then another "row" of rock till he
finds..... Dinosaur bones!!!

These "bones" I found online as a coloring book page and I printed them out on fabric paper, then a tad of batting and a white back and some satin stitch and made them into 3-D, movable, playable appliques! Now, he can "build" a dinosaur out of the "fossils" he dug up!

The "rocks" around the edges of the page are made of fabric where i just sewed it in a curvy circle or rectangles and then sewed them to the page to form pockets...so other dinosaurs can hide and be found!

These dinos are a fabric I bought, and just cut out the image and made into a 3-D, removable, playable applique piece.

If you would like to see the page in action, click on the picture below!

This is how the 2 pages will be in the book... can't get them side by side here on the post, but... you get the picture!

I have not sewed the pages together yet....that will be the last thing I do as I will be binding them as you would a quilt and also making fabric spine, holding all pages together. So...follow along and stay tuned! And I hope you are getting the "quiet book bug" and start one for your own little one!

Thanks for stopping by and...keep on preserving those memories! Want to read more at Fabric and Memories? CLICK HERE
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Dinosaur World Quiet Book Page

2019-08-01T23:00:00.000-04:00

What little guy isn't going to want to go on a dinosaur dig or play with dinosaurs!!! This double page is just that.The left page wasn't so hard to organize. I made it a kind of scenery of dinosaurs as seen in movies etc. The page is 11x11 and I have not sewed them together yet. That will be the last thing I do. I used fabric and felt on this page.
I had some fabric of these little dinosaurs on it, so I layered some thin batting and some white back and appliqued around each dino, added a snap to the back and it worked out great! I was planning on making animals out of felt, but this way is so much easier!!
This is the page with the dinosaurs "out and about". Leaves and vegetation are felt and the "water hole" is fabric that is appliqued onto the page. I chose larger snaps to be easier for the little fingers to learn to work with! Another fun thing about these kinds of animals... they can be taken/used on any page in the book!

I made the rock just by sewing two pieces of rock looking fabric together, then turn it inside out and then sewed it to the side and bottom of the page. Makes a really nice rock to keep the dinos in when not playing... hide them behind the rock while playing! The tree branches pull back to reveal a dinosaur hiding behind the leaves!

If you want to see my page "in motion"...here is the You Tube video of it from my You Tube channel Quiet Books and Quiet Book Pages.
Enjoy!

I have the next page that goes along with this one ready to post, so follow along and you'll see it. It is called "Dinosaur Dig".. and my little grand son will be digging for dinosaur bones/fossils!! And.. he will even be able to construct a dinosaur from bones he finds!!! Stay tuned!!!

Thanks for stopping by and...keep on preserving those memories! Want to read more at Fabric and Memories? CLICK HERE
This post is linked to the Linky Party for the day. Click on the "Daily Linky Parties" tab at the top of my page and join us!

Yellow Submarine Quiet Book

2019-08-01T15:30:00.000-04:00

It is finally done! Took a few weeks, most of that spent creating the pages in my head and coming up with fun ideas and things, but....it was all worth it! I know my little grand son will love this quiet book and have a great time playing with it!

It is 11x11 and cotton fabric and felt. Mostly machine sewing, but some gluing too. I learned how to make little pop up places using the button hole attachment on my sewing machine, got to be all but an expert in making 3-D images, a cool way to use netting and a few other features to make the fun last a long time!

Had a hard time figuring out how to make the cover... I wanted a handle on it, but then the pages would fall forward and look all messed up...so I gave up on a handle, and just made a fabric spine for it.. and a button closure to keep it all together.'

So... take a look at the video and see what you think! This is a You Tube video of the flip through of the whole book. Let me know if you see a favorite page you'd like to create!

My TV Blanket/quilt...Red, White & Black..& Text!

2019-07-26T15:46:00.000-04:00

I have always wanted a red, white and black colored quilt. Well, I have finally made one! Still contemplating how to do the back.. flannel or fleece...but the top is done and I really like it! The star is my favorite block to do.. it is made up of HSTs. You can make them with Flying Geese, but.. HST is a little easier and quicker.. at least to me! The blocks are made with 16, 3x3 (finished) squares so they are 12 inch blocks. The text on these are silly sewing related "articles". A real life issue.. with sewing things being the "culprits" etc! Just funny stuff!

This is the text print. All these things are historical events.. and many that I lived through! I didn't take picture, but the others are about presidents of the past (Truman-Ford) and the Titanic and Amelia Earhart, Vietnam surrender and a few other things. This is a 6x6" square.

I did something new on this one... I added triangles in the corners of a block to make the block larger to the same size as the Star ones. I only had 4 of the history squares so I also used this "seed" ad text print.. tells about planting seeds and also includes a bible verse on some of them. I wanted to break up the large portion of red so I added black triangles to the corners of the block!

This block is kind of like a "snowball" block/pattern. I sewed the red and black strips to the text square.. then trimmed to a 12"x12" block.

Here is the finished quilt top... minus the 1 inch four patch corners and the outer border. I alternated the starts and the diamond blocks.

This is each side... closer view and alot you can see the corner stones better!

This (left) is the finished front and (right) finished back with red binding. The back is a fleece of little dachshund dogs. No reason for the theme other than it was cute.. and the fleece was on sale!

Nice and comfy for in my "TV watching" chair! It measures 60x50. Bit smaller than a twin size, but perfect for my TV chair!

Thanks for stopping by and...keep on preserving those memories! Want to read more at Fabric and Memories? CLICK HERE

How I Use Glow in the Dark Thread on a Quilt

2019-05-25T21:08:00.000-04:00

In working on my Harry Potter quilt for my grand daughter, I have been trying to make original creations using images from the fabric. The block is 9x9" made with 3x3" squares. I have used Glow in the Dark thread before and it turned out really nice. I made pillowcases for my Grand daughters and it does glow in the dark! They love the pillowcases! So I thought I'd add that to the Harry Potter quilt.

Here is a short video about HOW I use it....

Thanks for stopping by and...keep on preserving those memories! Want to read more at Fabric and Memories? CLICK HERE

Harry Potter returns...Now I need 2 more!

2019-05-21T07:53:00.000-04:00

Well, I thought I'd be moving away from Harry Potter, but... you know kids! My oldest grand daughter, age 19, saw my current Harry Potter quilt hanging on my design wall and flipped out! She squealed and jumped up and down saying it was the coolest thing she's ever seen and asked if she could have it. I didn't even know she liked Harry Potter! But she says she does so that one.. I am going to give to her... which means I need 2 more for the other 2 Potter Head grand daughter!

So.. I just started cutting squares, 3,1/2x3,1/2" and some 4"x4" to make HST's with. And I got some new ideas using Flying Geese too! So for 2 days now, I have been cutting squares.. and now for the fun part...creating the 9x9" blocks!
So far I have this many on the design wall...I will need 20, 9"x9" blocks.

This one is using Flying Geese squares.

I am also cutting smaller images and using double sided fusible interfacing and adding them to blank squares for that extra bit of "Harry Potter". I am assuming they will enjoy searching the quilt looking for all the special little Harry Potter things that they can find.
I cut out the little faces from one fabric and made iron-on's out of them!

This one has a little face of each of them.. Harry, Ron and Hermonie that I cut from the fabric and used double sided fusible to attach so the girls can "search" for these! Thanks for stopping by and...keep on preserving those memories! Want to read more at Fabric and Memories? CLICK HERE

Harry Potter Quilt...Part 3

2019-05-14T15:29:00.000-04:00

Well, if you have been following my blog.. I had the problem of this quilt being to short for my tall grand daughter. I struggled on how to make it longer and have it look "planned" and not just an after thought. Only one idea came to mind and I am not crazy about it.. but then I thought...my second oldest "Potter Head" might like it and she is not as tall as her sister (different mothers!) so it'd be perfect for her at this length. But.. I have to talk with her and in a stealthy, "secret agent" way.. see if she is going to be a PotterHead when she is an adult! So far, I haven't been able to make contact, so... this quilt is going to just hang right here until we have our "summit"!!!!

Here is what it looks like right now.

I just have to add the 2 borders around the whole quilt and it'll be done! Then I have found out that they would rather have a "blanket" instead of a "quilt" in relation to the thickness, softness etc. so I am going to bat with flannel and a cotton fabric back or make the back fleece and no batting.

Here are some of the blocks I created.

This one has the tiny face of Harmonie.. I used double sided fusible interfacing to fuse it to the fabric.

And a tiny Harry Potter on a broom on this one

A basic HST and squares cut from the print fabric with Ravenclaw crest in the middle

I also did some "sayings" or text off one of the fabrics.. I cut it out, fused double sided interfacing to the back, then fused it to areas on the quilt. I later did a quick stitch to stitch it to the quilt.. I figure with all the use and washing it will get.. the interfacing might wash off.

I will be working on the borders tonight.. hopefully have it done.. then I will be backing it with flannel and no batting to use on warmer nights here in California when you just need a little something to cover with.

Harry Potter Quilt Journey Part 1
Harry Potter Quilt Journey Part 2

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Harry Potter Quilt Journey - Part 2

2019-04-23T20:09:00.000-04:00

Well, so far.. I have the blocks done. I just cut squares of different Harry Potter prints and put them together and mixed and matched and rearranged the squares until I found a pattern I liked. I made HST's out of some some and others used the full 3"x3" square. Here are a bunch of the squares. I also learned... everything doesn't always have to "match" or have to be the same pattern or design of squares. I am hoping by doing them all different.. there will be more things for my grand daughter to look at and enjoy and ... remember!

These two are the prints I got and cut 3"x3" squares of just the images.

I also cut out the "house" crests of each of the houses the kids were in.. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin and Ravenclaw.. and then back them with double sided fusible interfacing and the pressed them onto large solid color areas on the blocks.

Even this little tiny characture of Harry Potter.. I fused to solid areas.

So... I keep working on the quilt and so far have enjoyed it! It is fun to play with the squares and match colors and images and make each one different!

Harry Potter Quilt Journey Part 1

Harry Potter Quilt Journey Part 3

Harry Potter Quilt Journey.. come with me! (Part 1)

2019-04-19T11:50:00.000-04:00

After a year away from sewing, I am happy to be getting back into the groove of making quilts! I can honestly say I have missed it. The creativity and the imagination that goes into making any quilt is the best therapy in the world!

Anyway.. I decided to make a Harry Potter quilt for my oldest grand daughter to give to her when she graduates high school...in 5 years! She is the most dedicated "Potter Head" in the world! She tells me she will always be a "Potter Head" and Albus Dumbledore is her "mentor". ( He does have some really good things to say!) I know very little about Harry Potter so I am just making this quilt based on the obvious! I recently watched movies 1,2 and 3 but I think I am just to old to "get it"! And I can't ask her.. the quilt is a surprise but I have snuck a few general questions in on her asking about her "potterhead-ness"! And I have asked on a few groups I am on and got some great helps
from some great friends!

Anyway.. again... I thought I'd share my progress with everyone in case someone else wants to make one. If you want to follow the progress.. join via email in the top left side bar. I searched all over the place for ideas and the only Harry Potter theme one was of the book shelf style. Very nice, but to me it was so much work and so involved that it just didn't say "harry potter" to me and I want this quilt to have memories of the HP world for her.

Now.. on to the first part. I shop at Joann's.. only. I hate buying online as my past experience has not been good! So I picked up all fabrics at Joann's. Small selection but once I got going, I was able to make appliques and other added embellishments with it to "stretch" the idea farther. I did buy the center panel (below) on Amazon.com.

I cut off the outer border as I want to put my own there.. and replaced it with a blue glitter sashing and a black with gold dots sashing around that. VERY nice and bright and colorful! Brings out the yellows in the panel for a little brightness. I decided to use 9x9" blocks as the 12x12 seemed to dwarf the center panel.

9x9 means a 9 patch of 3, 3x3" squares. This worked well as the prints I got were small images so I could get good images in the smaller pieces. Larger would not have looked as good. Here are a few of the blocks I have created so far. All I did was browse through some quilt blocks idea books and chose a quilt block I liked and would work with 3x3 size squares. I made some HST's and some Hour Glass squares. The blocks themselves do not have any name. I just played with the layout till I liked what I saw!

I tried to pull out some of the brighter blues from the panel as the main colors in the blocks. I got some fabric (100% cotton) that was beige with gold glitter on it.. and silver with silver glitter on it. REALLY does sparkle! This first one.. is the silver glitter in the half of HST. The other half is the glasses, wand and little flying thingy from the movie (I always forget what it is called!) The top left corner square.. that is Gryffindor logo that was a fabric so I just cut out the specific image using a template and cut it 3,1/2x3,1/2 inches. The Right top corner block.. again, that is the fabric print (looks similar to newspaper print) and it has things about Harry Potter.. the broom stick and that little flying thingy and few other things. I used the template to specifically cut out a square that had things that could be "read" in the fabric. The Lower right corner.. that is a image in the print.. that flying thingy again!

This block uses the gold glitter fabric in the corners of the HST's. The 2 middle/side blocks are, again.. cut from the print fabric, specifically centering around the images. That is Ron and Harmonie and I don't know the name of the dragon thing! In the middle, I cut the Ravenclaw crest from fabric (this fabric has all the logo/crests on it!) and appliqued it to the blue square and made that the center of the block. The middle top square is that newspaper print fabric again.. and this time it specifically says "Hogwarts" and "Quiddith" . I know Hogwarts is the school and the Quiddith is a game they play!

This one.. I used that black with gold dots to make that little flying thingy. In the movie it is gold.. but I Forgot that when I was making the HST'! I got the design right but should have used a gold fabric. Oh well... it looks good anyway! The lower right corner has the Gryffindor crest on it. I didn't applique this one.. I just cut it out leaving about 1/4 around it, and then used that double sided iron-on interfacing. That stuff is my BEST FRIEND! I love that stuff! So many uses. In this case.. I cut out the crest, then pressed one side of the facing to it, then peeled the backing of and pressed the crest to the square! So easy and looks soooo good!!!

This one, I tried to pull some of that pretty blue out of the panel to brighten things up a bit. Again, that little flying guy with the black and gold. Another crest (Hufflepuff) in the top right corner and newspaper square in lower right and upper left.

I think it is going along pretty good. I did just kind of assembly line it... meaning I cut about 10, 3,1.2x3,1/2 squares of each print I had and matching solids. Then I cut a few 4x4" in ones to make HST's with... laid them all out and just played with with the placement until I got a 9 patch I liked!

This is one of the prints.. so you can see how I chose to cut squares out of it.

This is the "newspaper print" fabric.. and I cut the specific portions out so they are still readable as a square.

That's about it for now! I have several more to go. I keep getting new ideas so...come back next time for those! I am really enjoying making this.. especially since it is for my grand daughter when she graduates.. a wonderful time in her life. However, I might save it for later.. depends on what she does with herself at that time in her life! Maybe I'll give it to her if she goes off to college and she can take a little bit of her happy childhood past with her!! I know she will love it.... that is all that matters!

Don't forget to join to follow if you want to see the next things I do for the quilt. Just put in your email and when I post.. you will get an email with the link.

Harry Potter Quilt Journey Part 2
Harry Potter Quilt Journey Part 3

Thanks for stopping by and...keep on preserving those memories! Want to read more at Fabric and Memories? CLICK HERE

Stay with me.....Blogger and Google are not getting along!

2019-02-10T12:39:00.000-05:00

Due to the issue between Google and Blogger.. apparently Blogger and Google are not getting along anymore, so......

... if you are following me with Google, you won't be getting notifications of new posts to my blog. You won't be able to comment on a blog post.

To stay with me... just go to the top left of this page and on the side bar.. click "follow me via EMAIL" and input your email and that way, you will get an email from me/Blogger when I post something new.

Hope you'll stay with me! I am still in the Junk Journal and Quiet Book worlds...and I enjoy posting my work and hopefully giving you all some good ideas for your own books!

Thanks for stopping by and...keep on preserving those memories! Want to read more at Fabric and Memories? CLICK HERE
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A Junk Journal for "later". Plan ahead!

2018-11-07T11:30:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile since I did Junk Journaling but... I'm back! Taking a break from sewing! I finished this junk journal with the intention of having it for a trip I will be taking. I plan to be moving to another state and wanted to have something to write things about the trip, when I get there, find a new house etc.

I made this one with mostly pocket pages, tuck spots and other ways for ADDING as I go, instead of writing on the actual page. Lots of journaling cards and other papers to take out of the book, write on and then slide back into a pocket or tuck spot.

I also included a few memories of my past in this state, both current and from my childhood. Kind of like I was saying good bye to the past and hello to the future!

Here is the video of it on You Tube... click and watch and enjoy and get some good ideas for your own junk journal!

Memories from the Past Junk Journal Part 1

2018-09-08T13:35:00.002-04:00

I am making a junk journal of memories from my past.. starting with childhood. So many memories I know I have forgotten but I want to keep those I remember so I am putting them together.
I am also trying to get out of the structured, organized, in-order "box" I am in.. and trying to teach myself that things don't have to be perfect...just nice, fun to look at or just "there" to be used! I am making this junk journal in signatures, one signature at a time. I am doing good in that chronologically... I am not in order! I figure... get it down before I forget! However, the signatures are seemingly being put in date order anyway! So that satisfies a little of my "need to be in order" demand... and making it easier to get out of that box! This is part 1...the first signature of earliest years. Next signature (part 2) will be middle years and so on. I am finding I can make about a decade per signature! And.. if not in order... I don't care! I have the memory and that is all that matters! (I do date the memory tho!) So... hope you enjoy watching this and get some ideas and inspiration to preserve your memories! Don't forget to subscribe if you want to follow along and leave me a comment if you want to! I would love to hear how you are preserving your memories!

This video is about making a single signature...and finishing that one, and then.. make another. When I have 3-4 signatures.. I will then bind them into a book

This video is "part 1" of how to get your memories on the page... and forget about organization and chronologically correctness! Just get them down!

Memory Junk Journal ...Making Signatures before binding

2018-09-02T12:00:00.000-04:00

Not all memories have pictures. Not all memories have a item to make you remember them. Most memories are just that.. a memory.

So I decided... I am just going to write down my memories.. and make them into a journal.I sat at the PC for awhile typing out memories from my childhood. I know I have forgotten so many, but at least these are a start to what I do remember.

My other project with this journal is to make signatures so that the pages lay more open and flat. I have asked for alot of tips on this and this video shows what I have settled on. I think it is going to work!

Here is the video of it on my You Tube channel. Check it out, tell me what you think!

My First Attempt at an Altered Book

2018-09-01T12:00:00.000-04:00

I have been trying to get out of that proverbial "box" so I gave "altered book" style of a junk journal a try. I like it...kind of. But at the same time.. I don't think I will do another one... at least not yet! It turned out okay, and fun and looks really cool closed and standing up right, but I still have issue with the one inch of the pages from spine onto the page and I don't like the printed words on the pages as if not covered, it makes them think I have left something out.

But still.. I think it is nice and fun and I am to a point, happy with it. So...here's the You Tube video of the flip through of it. Subscribe if you like, give me a thumbs up and get some ideas and/or inspiration to make your own Junk Journals a wonderful piece of your history!

And if you'd like to see all my junk journal videos
just click >>>> Junk Journals to Hold Your Memories

Thanks for stopping by and...keep on preserving those memories! Want to read more at Fabric and Memories? CLICK HERE
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Elephant and Frills Mini Junk Journal

2018-08-24T13:08:00.000-04:00

My youngest grand daughter is only 3 but I made her a mini junk journal anyway! She can scribble and hopefully get an older sibling to write what she wants to say in it...or just play with it and think of Nanny that loves her so much!

Being only 3, she doesn't have things that she "likes" or a style she likes, so I only had one thing... she likes elephants. I had an elephant paper and a elephant playing card to include. The next thing I know she likes is frilly and lacey.. she hates wearing shorts or pants.. always in a skirt! So I went with that theme.

Here is the video if you want to see it. A Mini Junk Journal for a mini girl!

To see the other minis I made... check the tab above "Junk Journals". That will go to the page where all my junk journals are listed. Happy Junking!!!

Thanks for stopping by and...keep on preserving those memories! Want to read more at Fabric and Memories? CLICK HERE
This post is linked to the Linky Party for the day. Click on the "Daily Linky Parties" tab at the top of my page and join us!

My First Single Signature Junk Journal

2018-08-18T13:02:00.000-04:00

When we hear "junk Journal" we always seem to think... many signatures! I know I do. I want as much as I can get in the book! But.. sometimes a single signature is all we really need. So I did a swap with a friend, and we agreed.. single signature journal and our own style. Once swapped.. it turned out.. we both had such totally different styles...it was fun to see hers and learn a different way to junk journal! I learned some new techniques and styles from her and she said she was impressed with my style and was looking forward to using some in her next journal!

So it all worked out great...I did something I had never done, learned something new and made a new friend! And just think.. all because of some "junk"!!!!

I did a short video about it... if you'd like to check it out!

Frills and Lace Mini Junk Journal

2018-08-10T12:48:00.001-04:00

This Mini Junk Journal is for my 7 year old grand daughter. She is all frilly and lacey and blingy so... that is the theme I used. She also likes tea parties so I added that a bit too.
The journal is 3"x5" and has 3 signatures. I used lace around the top and open sides...this was a first for me! But it turned out pretty nice! I also added, as I did the others, a bracelet that was my Mom's...their great grandmother, that they never met, as part of the outside decoration. It is just a costume jewelry piece, but it is a piece to add a memory to the book. "Just think.. my great grandmother wore this!"

I made these for my 5 grand kids... 4 girls, one boy. So if you'd like to see the others... here are those links to the videos. Hope you enjoy watching and get some great ideas and inspiration for your own junk journals. Happy Junking!!!

Harry Potter theme Mini Junk Journal
Mine Craft theme Mini Junk Journal
Elephant and Frills Mini Junk Journal

Teen Girl theme Mini Junk Journal

Thanks for stopping by and...keep on preserving those memories! Want to read more at Fabric and Memories? CLICK HERE
This post is linked to the Linky Party for the day. Click on the "Daily Linky Parties" tab at the top of my page and join us!