I'm excited to share my thoughts today about the new Cricut Maker* machine. You'll also find a tutorial for making this hexagon pincushion with or without the machine!

This post is sponsored by Cricut*, all opinions, images and text are my own. I've used affiliate links in this post (noted with an *), which means if you click through and buy something, I make a commission, at no extra cost to you.

I have vivid memories of walking into the craft store when I was in high school and seeing the Cricut* personal electronic cutting machines. Back then they required different cartridges to cut shapes in paper. I never got very into scrap booking, but I've always loved paper. These machines seemed so cool and fancy! I remember thinking I might save up for one, but was already spending too much of my budget on fabric.

Fast forward to today, these machines have come a long way. The Cricut Maker* machine can cut paper, just like previous Cricut machines, but it can also cut through vinyl, thin balsa wood, and fabric! Some models along the way have been able to cut through fabric that's been bonded to a stabilizer (this one can too), but what sets the Maker/* apart is that it can cut unbonded fabric with a special little rotary blade. That means cutting fabric is as simple as sticking it to the mat and cutting!

I don't know about you all, but I've always been a multi-crafter. I dabble in all kinds of different crafts. I still enjoy paper crafts and I also sew, quilt, knit, weave, dye, etc. Because I like to craft in so many different mediums, it's really nice when my tools or supplies can be used across multiple crafts. That's where the Maker* fits in for me.

One of the big reasons I was interested in testing out the Maker is personal. (Let's be real, one of them is to fulfill my childhood dream of using such a fancy machine.) As you may or may not know, I have arthritis. My disease primarily affects my wrists and hands, which are pretty critical when you're making something. I've spent a lot of time figuring out how to do things in ways that minimize their impact on my body and health. In the last 5 years especially, I've had a lot of wrist problems. A task that really takes a toll on me is cutting.

Being able to use a machine to do some cutting for me is really appealing. I've used die cutting machines before, but they had to be cranked, which was still difficult. The Cricut Maker* lets you get cutting with the touch of a button. I will still cut things traditionally, but I think this machine is going to be a great asset for me in managing my activity.

I've never used a Cricut* machine before, so I decided to make a video of myself using it. Please excuse my video skills/set-up! I don't have a lot of experience shooting videos, but I felt it was the best way to show you the machine.


I was intimidated at first, but it was easier to use than I expected. I'm excited to continue to learn everything this machine can do, and really take advantage of it. In the video, I walk through cutting pieces for a simple pincushion, including creating the shapes in the Cricut Design Space*. The program allows you to create your own designs, upload images, and customize your projects. There are tons of ready made projects available too.

If you want to make a pincushion too, see the instructions below, or watch the video:

Materials:
- (2) 8.25"x10" pieces of cotton fabric
- (1) 5" piece of cotton fabric
- Pincushion filling (I used crushed walnut shells*)
- Coordinating thread

1. Start a new project in the Cricut Design Space*. Click the shape tool on the left hand side of Canvas, and click the Triangle shape. Once the shape pops up on your canvas, select it by clicking on it. Up in the top bar, change the height of the triangle to 2.5". (Or download the image of the triangle here.)

2. Using the Cricut Maker*, cut three triangles from each fabric for a total of six triangles. (Here is the tool set* I was using in the video.)

3. Arrange your triangles into two rows. Piece two triangles together in each row. Press seams open. Attach the final triangle in each row. Press seams open.

4. Place rows right sides together, lining up the seam and the row ends. Place a pin through the points to match them up. Sew rows together.

5. Use your pincushion top as a template to cut a backing for it from the 5" square.

6. Place pincushion top and backing right sides together. Sew around all sides, leaving a small opening on one side for turning. Turn pincushion right sides out. Fill your pincushion with filling of choice, hand stitch the opening closed.

Next week I'll be sharing another project made with the Cricut Maker*, so be on the look out for that!

Happy Sewing!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

Janome 1600P Sewing Machine Review

Happy Monday! A couple years ago I bought a new sewing machine. Since then I have had a number of questions about how well I like it. So, I thought today I would finally post a proper review of the machine I bought, a Janome 1600P-QC.

I'm slightly embarrassed to say it's now been almost three years since I bought my machine and I'm only now getting around to posting this review! On the plus side, I've had a long time and a LOT of projects (including all the projects for my book) to figure out what I like about it. Before we dig in though, I'd just like to say that I'm not affiliated with Janome in any way and this post is a reflection of my personal opinions.


With that being said, I love this machine. If it broke down today, I'd buy another one. But let's back up a little. Prior to the 1600P, I had a Janome Horizon 7700. I'll be honest, the Horizon and I did not get along. It had a lot of good qualities, but had way too many bells and whistles for me. When I decided to look for a new machine, I knew I wanted to simplify. I had been using my vintage Singer Featherweight a ton, and wanted to find a machine that most closely resembled that, but bigger. Enter the Janome 1600P.


It's a nice heavy duty machine, with a primarily metal body. It is a straight-stitch only machine which is what my Featherweight is. This means it can only do one stitch, but that it can do that one stitch very well. I had learned this from working on the Featherweight. Since it only stitches straight the needle plate has one little hole in it for the needle, so it's much less likely to pull fabric down into it.


This machine is fast! That's one of my favorite thing about it. It's got three speed settings: turtle, sitting bunny, and running bunny. It can stitch at up to 1600 stitches per minute. As someone who sews a lot (and likes to sew fast), it has been wonderful using this machine. Especially when piecing, I can cruise right along.



Another one of my favorite features about this machine is the separate bobbin winding motor and thread path. I have a dedicated cone of thread set up for winding bobbins and one for the top thread. I don't have to un-thread my machine or even stop sewing when I need to wind a new bobbin.


I have a few favorite feet for the machine that I use the most. The 1/4" foot is what I use the most (which I'm very happy to say has a remove-able guide.). I also bought a narrow straight stitch foot. It's super tiny and is perfect for topstitching. Next up, the walking foot. It's sturdy, and does it's job. Finally, the adjustable zipper foot, which you can move to either side of the needle.


With my old machine I never took advantage of even some of the simplest features, but I've been taking full advantage of them on this machine. I use the automatic thread cutter for just about everything, and I love how it lifts up the needle when it's done cutting. This really comes in handy when paper piecing.

Side note: Since it is a semi-industrial machine, it is pretty loud. I sit mine one a folded up mini quilt to help dampen some of the noise for our neighbors. I also invested in a pair of wireless headphones, which I use when sewing. Just an FYI!


Since the 1600P sews at high speeds, it does use special needles, HLx5 needles. My favorite for piecing are 75/11s. For bag making or projects using thicker fabrics I like 90/14s. Finally for quilting (free motion & straight line), I like 100/16s. This machine also needs oiling every few hours. I use the same precision oil pen I use for my featherweight.


One thing I would like to mention about this machine is that it does take some getting used to. The tension is set manually and it also has a pre-tensioner. It can take a bit of fiddling to get the tension just right, but once you do, it sews great.


I wanted to share my settings for this machine for free-motion quilting. There isn’t anything about free-motion quilting in the manual and when I first tried it on this machine I had to do some trial and error to find what worked for me. Here is what I do:

- Put on the free-motion quilting foot, and free-motion quilting needle plate.
- Use a new size 100/16 HLx5 needle.
- Set stitch length to 0.
- Set presser foot pressure to 0.
- Lower the upper thread tension a bit.
- Slightly loosen bobbin tension.
- Adjust free-motion quilting foot height as desired.

You'll definitely want to play around with a practice quilt sandwich to get the right combination of tensions. Don't forget the pre-tensioner if you're having trouble with the top tension. I keep my pre-tensioner pretty loose, and adjust with the main tension knob.


The 1600P is the perfect machine for the type of sewing I do. I primarily use it for piecing, which is great for the high-speeds, but I love to make bags and other projects too. I try to use this machine and my serger as much as I can to make garments, but occasionally pull out my backup machine (a Janome Memory Craft 4800) for it's free arm and buttonhole capabilities.

Happy Quilting!

For the Makers Review & Giveaway

For the Makers: Clay Ornaments, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

For the Makers approached me last month about trying out a few of their DIY kits, and I happily agreed! For the Makers is a fun design lifestyle company that produces monthly craft-based subscription boxes. Each month there's a new collection/box that features four high-quality, fashion-forward DIY pieces based around a monthly theme. Beyond that they have individual DIY kits for sale.

For the Makers: Geometric Ornaments, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

I love crafting in general but sewing, quilting and knitting take up the vast majority of my crafting time these days.  My kits arrived on Black Friday which was perfect timing with the long holiday weekend! I spent Saturaday relaxing and getting my craft on. The great things about these kits is they have nearly everything you need to complete the craft.  The only additional thing I needed for either kit was scissors! This was great for me because my craft box is buried in my closet, and I had no desire to go shopping for supplies on Black Friday!

For the Makers: Geometric Ornaments, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

For the Makers: Geometric Ornaments, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

First up I tried out the Geometric Ornaments kit. There is a photo tutorial to accompany each kit on the For the Makers website, which is a lot easier than simple step-by-step instructions.  I am pretty excited about how fancy my finished ornaments look! There are supplies to make plenty so I think I'll make some as gifts too.

For the Makers: Clay Ornaments, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

For the Makers: Clay Ornaments, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

Next up I tried the Clay Ornaments kit. It even comes with a little wooden rolling pin to roll out the clay, too cute! This project made me feel like I was little again, playing with clay. I cut and baked my ornaments and then it was time to paint.  They had plenty of cute ideas on how to paint them, and I came up with a few on my own.  I'm not a great painter, but they still turned out super cute! I think these would make cute package toppers.  I'll definitely hang some on our tree too!

For the Makers: Geometric Ornaments, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

I was impressed by how nice these kits were! I had no reason to think otherwise, but the materials were very nice and so were the finished projects. These kits would make very sweet gifts! Check out all their fun kits here, and their gift subscription service! Thanks For the Makers!

GIVEAWAY:
For the Makers would like to give two of you a Clay Ornaments kit! Giveaway will run until Saturday, December 14th at 5pm CST. Leave a comment to enter, let me know your favorite kit in their shop! Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Good luck!

JOURNEY: Swift Hat + Review

Happy Friday! I was absolutely tickled pink when Shannon Cook and Jane Richmond asked me to review their new book, JOURNEY.  This is the second book they've teamed up to publish under their company, Marian Rae Publications.  Make sure and check out their first book, ISLAND!


Anyways, back to JOURNEY! I totally geeked out about participating in this book tour.  I'm still so new to knitting, it was incredibly validating to do this. My love of knitting is only growing with each project, and this book has me wanting to add every project to my queue. JOURNEY features six knitting patterns, three each from Shannon and Jane.



JOURNEY was inspired by the journey of self-discovery, independence and the path back to yourself.  This really spoke to me, because knitting has been a way for me to re-discover my love of crafting and simply enjoying doing something creative.  So, it was a match made in heaven!



I decided to knit up the Swift hat by Shannon Cook first! I choose to use Madelinetosh Pashmina in Dahlia for extra warmth and softness. Mmmm, cashmere! I only used a little over 160 yards for this hat, so I have plenty leftover for another project! The hat had a bit of bumpy start, between using a stitch marker that was too large and forgetting to pass a couple stitches, but once I got into a groove it was smooth sailing from there! In the end it was totally worth it, I love my finished hat.  It's going to get tons of use!



I learned a lot making this hat.  I had never knit anything using such small needles (size 2.5 and 4) or that weight of yarn (sport).  It was definitely different! In the end though, it really wasn't bad! It was weird switching between this project and my other work in progress, for which I'm using super bulky yarn and size 17 needles!  I learned how helpful using lifelines can be, and now feel like I have a better understanding (through some practice) of how to pick up dropped stitches. You can find my Swift hat on Ravelry.


When I first checked the forecast for Tuesday (aka the only day this week I could take photos), I was a little nervous because it was supposed to rain.  I was hoping it would just be a light mist but still be bright and overcast.  Just my luck, that's what I got! We had dense fog, a few drops of rain, but it was still nice and bright. I took these photos with my trusty 50mm and new 35mm lenses, with the help of my wireless remote and tripod.


It's going to be hard to choose what to make next, but I'm thinking the Spate fingerless mitts are at the top of the list! I'm thinking Malabrigo Rios in Pururas will be perfect!


All six JOURNEY patterns from left to right (starting at the top), Onward shawl, Spate fingerless mitts, Climb socks, Antrorse pullover, Inland cardigan, and Swift hat. The book was photographed by Nicholas Kupiak, who also did the photography for ISLAND.


Ready for more eye candy? I love this video they put together for the book. Leaves me feeling inspired each time I watch it!

Would you like to win a copy of the JOURNEY e-book? Leave a comment here telling me which project you'd most like to make.  All entries welcome, one entry per person. Giveaway will be open until Wednesday, December 11th 2013 at 5pm CST. Giveaway is now closed, thank you!

Happy Knitting!

Indygo Junction's Fabric Flowers Review + Giveaway!

Today I have a fun new book to share with you and a giveaway to boot! Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Indygo Junction's Fabric Flowers by Amy Barickman! You'll find 25 different fabric flowers in this book, made with a variety of techniques.  These flowers are perfect for embellishing your outfits, bags, gifts, home--the possibilities are endless!


For my flower, I choose to use the red prints from my line with Art Gallery Fabrics, Color Me Retro!


I made the Pinked Posy! I added an extra gathered layer so that I could incorporate all three prints! I found the sweet orange button to match at my local Jo-Ann. I think I'll use my flower to embellish a tote bag or perhaps display on my inspiration board!

I had a lot of fun making this flower pin! The instructions were easy to follow and it was good to get myself out of my comfort zone and use fabric in a different way than I'm used to. I definitely need to do more crafts like these. I have my eye on a few other flowers in the book!

You can get a better view of all the flowers in this video! There really is a little bit of everything in this book! Who knew there were so many different ways to make fabric flowers? I'd love to try some of the flowers that use wool!


Don’t miss the rest of the stops on the tour:
2/2/13 - Indygo Junction Kick Off Post
2/4/13 - Kollabora
2/5/13 - CraftFoxes
2/6/13 - Sewing Secrets
2/7/13 - Princess Lasertron
2/8/13 - Dollar Store Crafts
2/11/13 - Tatertots & Jello
2/12/13 - Family Ever After
2/13/13 - This Mama Makes Stuff
2/14/13 - Amy's Creative Side
2/15/13 - Today's Creative Blog
2/18/13 - Lazy Girl Designs
2/19/13 - Skip to My Lou
2/20/13 - The Sewing Loft
2/21/13 - The Crafty Cupboard
2/22/13 - Fishsticks Designs
2/25/13 - Taradara
2/26/13 - Diary of a Quilter
2/27/13 - Craft Gossip
2/28/13 - How Joyful
3/1/13 - Lindsay Sews
3/4/13 - Flamingo Toes
3/5/13 - In Color Order (you're here!)
3/6/13 - See Kate Sew
3/7/13 - Handmade Charlotte
3/8/13 - Sew Caroline
3/9/13 - Indygo Junction Wrap Up Post, Bonus Giveaway & Free Flower Project


Now how about a giveaway? Many of the projects use handy Clover notions and tools! So, along with a copy of Fabric Flowers, the winner will receive Clover Fuse 'N Gather and Clover Wrap 'N Fuse Piping! I'm excited to try these products out myself!

To enter, simply leave a comment! Giveaway will be open until Friday, March 8th at 5pm CST.  One entry per person, all entries welcome.

And a little treat for everyone! Use code FFBK22 - for 20% off your IndygoJunction.com order (offer expires 5/1/13)!

Good Luck!

Book Review: Hexa Go-Go!

I have a great book to share with you today! Welcome to my stop on the Hexa Go-Go Blog tour! You all know Tacha Bruecher right? She is one of the founding members of the online magazine, Fat Quarterly, and co-author of the Fat Quarterly Shape Workshop book that I shared with you a few months back. I was so excited to meet her at Spring Market, and let me tell you, she is sweet as can be! And funny too!

To me, Tacha's work is all about the little details. Whether you're making a quilt, a bag, or a garment, the attention given to the small elements of a design can often make or break your project. They are what pushes it over the edge and really gives you a WOW! The projects in Tacha's book, Hexa Go-Go have exactly that, fantastic details!

If you've ever been even slightly interested in English paper-pieced hexagons, you're going to want this book. Whether you've never stitched a single hexagon, or are a seasoned piecer, there is something for everyone. Tacha takes you step by step through the process and gives so many different options and tips for cutting, basting, joining, and using hexagons.

Beyond the general hexagon making instructions, the projects in this book are amazing! I personally have a hard time getting past the traditional Grandmother's Flower Garden design when I think about using hexagons. I love all of the different modern ways they are used to create pattern or shapes in this book!

My favorite project also happens to be the cover quilt! I am rather slow at hand piecing, so I love the idea of being able to mix regular patchwork with hexagons. Seems much more approachable for me than a project that is made entirely of hexagons!

Want a copy? Just leave a comment to be entered to win.   Giveaway will be open until Wednesday, September 5th at 5pm CST. US readers will receive a hard copy and international readers will receive an ebook copy.

Don't forget to check out the other stops on the hop!

8/20 Katy Jones - imagingermonkey -  http://www.imagingermonkey.blogspot.com
8/22 Beth Wilson - Sew Mama Sew - sewmamasew.com/blog2/
8/24 Cathy Underhill - Cabbage Quilts - http://cabbagequilts.blogspot.com
8/27 Lynne Goldsworthy - Lilys Quilts - lilysquilts.blogspot.com/
8/29 Jennifer Mathis - Ellison Lane - http://ellisonlane.blogspot.com
8/31 Angela Pingel - Cut to Pieces - http://cuttopieces.blogspot.com
9/3 Jeni Baker - In Color Order -  http://incolororder.com/ << you're here! :)
9/5 Nettie - A quilt is nice -  http://aquiltisnice.blogspot.com
9/7 Lissa Alexander - Moda Lissa - http://modalissa.blogspot.com
9/10 Sarah Fielke - The Last Piece - thelastpiece.typepad.com/
9/12 Michele Pacey - Michele Made Me - http://www.michelemademe.com/
9/14 Kimberly Jolly - Fat Quarter Shop - fatquartershop.blogspot.com/
9/17 Aneela Hoey - Comfort Stitching - comfortstitching.typepad.co.uk/
9/19 John Adams - Quiltdad - http://www.quiltdad.com/
9/21 Elizabeth Hartman - Oh Fransson - http://www.ohfransson.com/

Good Luck!

Pattern Review: State Street Tote

Rhapsodia State Street Tote, a photo by jenib320 on Flickr.

Today I'm happy to be reviewing the State Street Tote by Bari J over on Sew Sweetness as a part of Purse Palooza! As I mentioned on Sunday, I used prints from the Sweet Journey colorway of Rhapsodia by Art Gallery Fabrics! You can find my experiences with this pattern and lots more photos in the post here!

You can purchase the State Street Tote pattern in Bari J's shop here.  You can find Rhapsodia by Art Gallery Fabrics at Fat Quarter Shop and The Intrepid Thread.

Happy Sewing!

Fat Quarterly Shape Workshop Book + Giveaway

Fat Quarterly Shape Workshop for Quilters, a photo by jenib320 on Flickr.

Hello Everyone! Welcome to my stop on the Fat Quarterly Shape Workshop for Quilters Blog Tour! If you aren't familiar with Fat Quarterly, it's a popular e-magazine for  modern sewists! The e-zine and now this new book are put out by the talented Katy Jones, Brioni Greenberg, Tacha Bruecher, and John Q. Adams.  Lynne Goldsworthy has also recently joined the FQ team!

Now, on to the book!
 

Fat Quarterly Shape Workshop for Quilters, a photo by jenib320 on Flickr.

Flat out, I love this book. In my mind, most quilting books can be put into two categories: books with quilt blocks, and books with quilt patterns.  Lucky for us, this book has both! The book is divided into six sections, each focusing on a different shape: squares & rectangles, circles, triangles, stars, polygons, and diamonds.

Fat Quarterly Shape Workshop for Quilters, a photo by jenib320 on Flickr.

In each section, you'll find quilt blocks from the four authors featuring that shape, all done in the same combination of fabrics. Makes it easy to visualize the similarities between the blocks, and great sampler ideas too! Then, each section has quilts and projects as well! I love the idea of having 60 modern blocks at my fingertips as well as full project patterns! :)

I combed through the book and narrowed down my favorite project from each author! Let's take a look!

Fat Quarterly Shape Workshop for Quilters, a photo by jenib320 on Flickr.

John Q. Adams - Cub Crawl Baby Quilt - I am always on the lookout for quilts that have large blocks or leave large sections of fabric intact. Perfect for showcasing those extra special prints!

Fat Quarterly Shape Workshop for Quilters, a photo by jenib320 on Flickr.

Katy Jones - Orange Soda Quilt - I generally shy away from applique, but this quilt has me wanting to give it a try! The patchwork is so fun, it's just such a cheerful quilt!

Fat Quarterly Shape Workshop for Quilters, a photo by jenib320 on Flickr.

Tacha Bruecher - Fast Forward/Rewind Quilt - Who can resist a good flying geese quilt? I sure can't! The different sized geese in this quilt did me in right away!

Fat Quarterly Shape Workshop for Quilters, a photo by jenib320 on Flickr.

Brioni Greenberg - Starry Hanging Storage - I'll be making room for one of these for sure! So much patchworky goodness, I love the star piecework especially!

There is a little something for everyone in this book, whether you're a seasoned quilter or you're just beginning.  I think this is a must-have book for any modern quilter! You can find the book for sale here! I encourage you to check out the Fat Quarterly blog and e-zine issues as well!

Lark Crafts has kindly offered up a copy of the book for one lucky reader! To enter, just leave a comment! One entry per person, I'll choose a winner randomly. Giveaway ends Friday, June 1st at 5pm CST.

Giveaway is now closed, thanks!

Don't forget to check out the rest of the tour!

5/18 Kickoff at FatQuarterly.com and LarkCrafts.com!
5/21 Lily Quilts
5/24 Handmade by Alissa
5/29 In Color Order << you're here! :)
5/31 Comfort Stitching
6/4 Generation Q
6/7 Sew Mama Sew
6/12 Pat Sloan
6/14 WhipUp
6/18 Sarah Fielke’s The Last Piece
6/22 Fat Quarter Shop
6/26 Diary of a Quilter
6/28 Amy’s Creative Side
7/3 A La Mode Fabric
7/6 It’s Sew Kiki!
7/10 Craft Buds!
7/12 Craft Foxes
7/16 {sew} Allegorical
7/18 Wrap-up Party at FatQuarterly.com!

Good Luck!