Hearts and Flowers and a Give-Away!

We've been out in the shops selling patterns this week. You can win your choice of any of the following patterns. See the instructions below.

Trending for us are several patterns:

"Ice Skater Sunbonnet Sue"

"Valentine Sunbonnet Sue"

Valentine details with precious heart buttons.....

"Marketday Sunbonnet Sue"

Details of  Marketday Sue - See the tiny prints? And the easy Ribbon Embroidery roses?

AND

Wait for it......

"April Showers Sunbonnet Sue"

• Have you ever tried a Sunbonnet Sue pattern?
• Do you have Sunbonnet Sue on your Bucket List?
• Do you have a Sunbonnet Sue in your quilting past, either as a gift or a quilt you made?
• Have you discovered how easy Fusible Web applique' is?

If you answered NO to all of the above, then, these (simply) Sue banners are for you.

To have a chance to win, please Follow Me on Google and leave a Message on this Post answering the question: Is there a Sunbonnet Sue quilt in your past, present or  future?  

The Winner  will be announced on 

Thursday, January 21, 2016.

(I'll send the winner's choice out as either a PDF (instant download format) or a physical pattern.)

Be sure to visit Joan at Moose Stash Quilting. She has been the stitcher of our pattern samples for the last little while and made most of the above samples. She does beautiful work....prize-winning work.

Sunbonnet Sue Tip of the Day: when obtaining print fabrics for Sue's dresses, choose small prints. They will look more authentic than large prints, especially since Sue, likes calico very much for everyday wear.

A New Banner Coming Your Way! February Valentine! And a Give-Away........

Prairie Cottage Corner "Banners of the Month"

We are never weary, are we? Well, yes, we are, sometimes, but Sunbonnet Sue is always there to cheer us up and help us forward. In our current campaign to get all of our promised "Banners of the Month" out on the market, we've produced our next one: February.

Here's February's Valentine Banner

Like all the banenrs, the center applique piece is a 12" block, several borders and a simple, pieced corner block. It's made to be a wall hanging, a banner to hang on the porch or to be part of a larger quilt. It's up to you.

We added 1/4" heart buttons to Sue's bonnet, pinafore, pumps and kitty. A small piece of lace trims her pinafore. She's all set for Valentine's Day. Is there a Sunhat Sam in her future? I think so. He's waiting in the wings.

The block is simple and fun to piece. This banner requires just four different fabrics but can be made from scraps, too. You can embellish it any way you wish. You can buy this pattern HERE.

And don't forget to go over to MooseStash Quilting and tell Joan what a wonderful sample of this banner she has made for us! Quilter Cum Laude, yes, indeed. We love you, Joan.

To Enter the Give-Away, just leave a comment on this post of your favorite thing about AUTUMN. The contest is open until 5 PM, Monday PDT, October 20th. The prize will be your pattern of choice from Prairie Cottage Corner.

Making an Applique' Valentine Banner

This is our newest pattern

"Be Mine" Valentine Banner

I've been working on the sample and I thought I would share the mechanics of it all - working with 2-sided fusible web. You could use freezer paper or needle turn techniques as well. You can buy the pattern on Etsy today and download it instantly.

You can make as many heart elements as you want for the banner. Here's one completed. Hang them horizontally or vertically. Here's how to make the banner.

I made 14 hearts from red cotton in order to make seven elements for the horizontal banner. I traced them with a Frixion pen and cut them out with scissors.

I treated the edges with Fray Check. Be sure to work on a covered surface - this is a little messy. I worked on the back of a piece of 8 1/2 x 11 scrap copy paper.

Trace the shapes for the applique from the pattern onto the paper side of the fusible webbing....

.....like this. I used a piece about 8" x 12" to make six applique figures.

Using paper scissors, cut them out. I stacked them in two stacks: one for figures which would be facing LEFT and on for figures which would be facing RIGHT.

Lay out your fabric (wrong side up) for dresses, hands, feet, bonnets on your ironing surface.....

Place the fusible web, paper side up, on the fabric and iron it down.

For WONDER UNDER, which I used, a hot iron (cotton) is best and I fused them about 8 seconds each.

Cut them out right along the edge of the fusible.

You'll want to treat the edges, although this is optional. Using Fray Check will help your banner look nicer, longer. To do that, I pinned each piece to my ironing pad through a piece of scrap paper. It looks like a bug collection!

 Then, go around each piece, carefully. NOTE: when you open your Fray Check cut only the inciest bit off the top of the nozzle, or, take the nozzle off and put a pin through from the inside out. You want it to have a very thin opening.

Let the pieces dry completely. This is important.

When they are dry, take them up, one at a time. Insert a pin into the hole made when you pinned the piece down. Only, insert the pin between the fusible and the fabric. 

 

Rotate the pin. It will loosen the paper from the fusing layer, which is now stuck to the back of the fabric. Lift the paper away from the fabric piece.

Soon, you'll have a stack of paper, and a stack of applique pieces with the fusing layer stuck to the wrong side of the fabric. 

The pieces will look very crisp and clean, with hard edges. Even with the fray check, though, handle them as little as possible to keep fraying from breaking out all over the place. 

Lay the fabric pieces out on the heart according to the pattern. Adjust everything to match the layout picture just so.

Using the same hot iron and 8 second timing, iron all the pieces down at once.

I made six hearts, total, like this.

Add a layer of batting to the wrong side of the heart front. Tack it down with fabric glue or run a line of basting around the edge of the batting. Don't use pins. You'll regret it, as they are such pokey little things. I prefer the thread basting although I used glue on the first one. The glue slipped. The thread did not.

If you want your banner to last a good long time, treat the edges with a button-hole or blanket stitch all around, using matching or contrasting thread. I used a little of each, according to what "felt" good.

The pink blends a little.....

....the ivory thread almost disappears and the blue emphasizes the blue in the fabric.

I used a milliner's or applique needle for the buttonhole stitching and an embroidery needle for the embroidery. The edge with the Fray Check on it is rather hard, so on small pieces, like the hand and the sleeve, where I was dealing with several hard layers, I had to put the needle straight down through and then come back up in a separate maneuver (rather than being able to take a sewing stitch from the applique piece to the background in one movement). Also, I used a 100% polyester sewing thread instead of cotton. I felt it would stand up better to the sharp edges than cotton.

Try to have as many stitches as possible go through both the fabric and the batting. The back won't show, so don't worry how it looks.

I drew the lines for the overskirt tie and the bonnet ribbon and used a stem stitch with 2 strands of floss for them.

Here's a detail of the drawing and the stitch.

Here are the two embroidered items finished.

Mark the opening on the wrong side of the front of the heart where you will begin and stop stitching to put the two sides of the heart together.

Using a fairly fine stitch, begin about an inch from the point and go all around, using a 1/4" seam allowance. I've used a contrasting thread so you can see it. Otherwise, you should try to match the fabric.

Clip the "cleavage" of the heart and all the curves, turn it inside out and give it a good pressing. Then, on to the next one. With my work schedule and home duties, I can do about one of these in a couple of hours, after the initial prep is done. Put the pieces in a ziplock bag with thread, needle, scissors and sew on the go, when a few minutes here and there present themselves.

 Happy Valentine's Day, Sisters in Stitching!

"Romantic Valentine's Day Dinner for Two"

I’ve planned a romantic dinner for the two of us, my husband, and I.  It’s all about what makes US happy, so I’ve planned some of my favorite things and some of his favorite things.  He likes movies and snacks, and I have some of each.  He likes meat and potatoes, and I’ve got most of that together.  We both like restful music in the background, so we can talk and relax, so I’ve got some of that.  The party will begin at sundown.

We’ll have the table all set and sit down to a shrimp cocktail and a sparkling beverage.  Then we’ll have the main part of the dinner and save the dessert for the movies.  We’ll see one of mine and one of his.  My list includes "You've Got Mail" and "Sleepless in Seattle" and "While You Were Sleeping" and "An Affair to Remember" as well as others.  His probably runs to something like “Independence Day”, “Crossfire Trail” or “One Special Night” - - -

I like to use my mother's wedding china and my crystal for this meal. The tablecloth and napkins came from my husband's mother.  I love vintage linens for the table and use them every day.

Timing the meal

I picked easy items to make.  I don’t want to spend the whole day in the kitchen, do you?  First thing in the morning, I make the trifle and put it away in the fridge.  It needs to settle.  After that, I make the  squash and meat loaf, refrigerate them and pop each one into the oven at the last minute. The shrimp cocktail, I make just before dinner and it is served first, about half way through the time when the meat loaf is baking.  We like to take our time.  Between the meal and the dessert, we exchange cards and gifts.

It’s a sweet time for both of us….and it won’t be perfect.  If I’m too concerned about the timing, it won’t be fun.  So, I plan to enjoy the accidents along the way.  After all, it’ll still be early and we could go to the Drive-In, right?

The Valentine Menu

Shrimp Cocktail

Sparkling Cider

Meat Loaf Extraordinaire

Butternut Squash a la Buerre

Green Beans Scampi

Strawberry Trifle

In the background, some of our favorite music - - -

John McDermott – Believe Me
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole - White Sandy Beach
 James Taylor – How Sweet It Is
Theme from Somewhere in Time
Tracy Byrd – Keeper of the Stars

Movies for St. Valentine’s Day

I had to plan ahead for this one because not all were in our collection, but it was worth it.  For Christmas, I got him all the known Louis L’Amore movies that are available on DVD, so we might add one of those to my romance-type list.  Usually, we watch the action-packed movie first, then, have our dessert with the romance.

“An Affair to Remember” – Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr
“While You Were Sleeping” – Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman
“You’ve Got Mail” – Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan
“The Ghost and Mrs. Muir” – Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison
“Random Harvest” – Greer Garson and Ronald Colman
And there’s always, Disney, you know:  Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Mulan, Cars (Cars?!!!).

The Recipes

Shrimp Cocktail

12 Medium Shrimp, cooked and chilled
½ c. tomato catsup
1 T. Horseradish Sauce
1 t. Lemon Juice
Place the catsup, horseradish and lemon juice in a small bowl and whisk together well.  Check the taste.  Some like more horseradish than others.  Divide into two sherbet bowls.  Hook the shrimp over the side and chill until ready to serve with a fork and a napkin.


Meat Loaf Extraordinaire

1 pound ground beef or chuck
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 stalks celery, chopped fine
3 pieces of bread, crusts removed and cubed small
¾ c. tomato catsup
1 to 3 t. sage, according to taste (you should be able to smell it when the meat is mixed up)
½ t. salt
¼ t. pepper

Place meat and bread in a large bowl and set aside.  Saute onion and celery in a little butter with the sage until tender and fragrant.  Remove from heat and stir in catsup.  Add the veggies to the meat and bread.  Add salt and pepper and mix well with clean hands.
Spoon into a loaf pan and bake about 50 minutes at 350 degrees F.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Butternut Squash a la Beurre (Butter)

Pierce the squash in three places deeply and microwave in 5 minute intervals on high until the skin gives when you poke it.  Slice open and remove seeds.  Spoon out flesh and place in a small casserole dish.  Top with butter and brown sugar and bake at 350 degrees F until butter and sugar are melted together.

Green Beans Scampi

Place 1 or 2 cans of French-cut green beans in a saucepan.  Add 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, crushed.  Heat to boiling and simmer 5 minutes.  Serve with a dot of butter and salt and pepper.

Strawberry Trifle

1 bag frozen strawberries
1 loaf Angel Food Cake
1 pkg Jello instant Vanilla pudding
1 Pint Heavy Cream, sweetened and flavored with vanilla, whipped

Thaw strawberries and cut all but five of them in quarters.  Cut the cake in 2” cubes.  Make the pudding according to instructions.  Whip and season the cream.

In a trifle bowl or a clear glass bowl, place a layer of cake cubes, topped with a slathering of pudding.  Next, place a layer of strawberries and a layer of cream.  Make more layers in the order given until almost all used up.  Top with whipped cream and dot with the five whole strawberries.

You can also make this in a parfait or other tall glass for individual servings.

Have a look at our "Heart Etui (needle case)" pattern at Prairie Cottage Corner.  (See the fourth previous blog post about the etui.)  If you buy it on Valentine's Day, I'll email it to you, specially, so you can give it to someone you care about on the day.  Try to make your purchase before 5 pm PST, will you?  I'm going to be busy after that.  LOL.  Prairie Stitcher

"A Valentine for Your Stitching Friends"

Valentine’s Day is coming up fast.  It’s the after-Christmas bright spot, in my view, so I make the most of it.  I still have some red candles left over from Christmas, for a romantic dinner for two.  More about that, later.

Your friends who stitch need Valentines, too.  Here’s one that will last a while and remind someone they are special and loved.

This is our newest pattern for a little needle case we call “Heart Etui”.  It takes a few hours to make…….just a few.  It’s about 5” x 5” all in all and consists of two hearts hinged on one side and tied on the other.

I added appliquéd leaves and a flower to the front but you could add whatever decoration you like such as ruched flowers, fussy-cut pieces or yo-yo's.

I cut the fabric pieces out using freezer paper and ironed them to the wrong side of the various fabrics (cotton setting, at least; no steam; 5 seconds), and added a ¼” seam allowance.

 I quilted the batting onto the front and back of the etui so the stitching would show on the outside.

 Each of the three leaves and the six petals were finger-pressed to the back side of the freezer paper and basted all around, except for the bottom inside, which would be under other pieces.  It takes a little planning to figure out how much NOT to baste.  You can see what is needed by, first, laying the pieces out as they will appear in the finished product.

I added the leaves to the front, first pinning, then blind stitching them in place.  I trimmed the inside ends of them, removed the basting, and pulled out the freezer paper

 I laid out the petal pieces to see the order of them and began pinning and blind stitching them in place, starting with the bottom-most petal.

I left the inside ends of the pieces open and removed the freezer paper from there.  Once the basting threads are out, it’s easy to pull the paper out.

Inside, I added a pocket that buttons shut.  Behind the pocket is a space for little scissors, held in by a ribbon.  I used gross grain ribbon for this.  It’s kind of wide, but it wears very well.  Satin ribbon is pretty, but wears out after constant use.  I had some  novelty buttons, as you can see, which add a little whimsy to the effort.

I embroidered the needle pad before attaching it to the inside heart pieces.  All the additions were made before the fronts and insides were sewn together.  You can add any message you like.  Print one out on your computer in a font you like, and trace it onto the pad.

 I added French Knots and Stem Stitching for detail on the flower and leaves.

 The Heart Etui is easy to slip into a purse or bag and take along with you.  You can sew while you wait for an appointment.  I keep several different needle cases with me and have each one fully equipped.  Since I do a lot of appliqué, I can keep my little project in a tote or a baggy with the etui, and sew when time allows.


You can purchase this pattern at Prairie Cottage Corner today.

Sunbonnet Sue is alive and well at Prairie Cottage Corner.  Please visit and see our new quilt patterns and selections.  There's a SALE going on now, too, in our catalog store.  Visit often, please, and tell us about your latest adventures in quilting with Sunbonnet Sue, quilting, applique and other needle adventures.