Bridget's Coaster Pattern

Granddaughter Bridget designed the pattern for these coasters.  Holiday fabric, monograms, trim or crystals around the edges or art cloth will turn ordinary tiles into special gifts.

Finished on all sides, the pattern is easy to follow and can be made in short order. 

All proceeds from the pattern, available for $4 at http://www.bucketsgonewild.com/bridgets-coaster-pattern.htm, will go toward her college expenses.  She has helped with the pattern business from the beginning back in 2004.

I'm headed off to finish binding the quilt I just got back from the long arm quilter.  I'll post a picture when I'm finished.

Cord organizer

Did everyone know but me?
A new friend at the Sit n Sew used toilet tissue centers to manage her sewing machine cords. A truly great idea!
I had to take it one step farther and Elmer's glue some scraps on it.

Customize your Go Bucket with Pleat Designs

Did you ever want to adjust the pleat sizes in a craft project to accommodate your different needs? There is more to adjusting pleats than just moving a few lines. Believe me, I know it after my first few attempts on the Go Bucket.

This is what I learned and have posted in a picture album on Facebook.

Adjusting the size of pleats in a pattern:

Note that the width of the pleat on the body is the same width as the center of the pleat unit, which is the distance between the two short pleat lines. To change the size of the pleat, you will need to maintain the same width on the body pleat as on the center pleat unit.

Each pleat on the Go Bucket is 2 1/2 inches wide. To make a pleat large enough to hold sunglasses or a bottle, move the pleat line on the body over 1 inch. Then move the pleat unit (stitching line and two pleat lines) over one inch. Circle the pleat unit with a red pen and move it over one inch. The one pleat on the body is now 3 1/2 inches wide to accommodate sunglasses or water bottles. The other pocket, 1 1/2 inches wide, is perfect for pens and pencils.

To make it easier always move the first template pocket line 1 inch to the right. From the single seam on the left, in this order, you will have a 1 1/2 inch pocket, a 3 1/2 inch pocket, then six 2 1/2 pockets. That's enough room to hold anything.

Order the Go Bucket now and make several for Christmas gifts. My husband loves his that is made of vinyl, denim and a discarded shirt that he didn't want to part with. Alas, it had shrunk over the years!

Having questions? The Go Bucket pattern is well illustrated with photos that are easy to follow. From now through Christmas, all PDF patterns are just$5.00 when you enter GB in the discount code box.

Mug Bucket closure

Q. Hi! I bought your Mug Bucket pattern in Houston at the quilt show.  Great pattern!   However,  I can’t figure out how to get the Velcro on the Mug Bucket. Is it supposed to stick out from the sides or be flush against the wrong side?  I just couldn’t figure out  how it would go on before the binding and also stick out from the sides.  Can you help me please?  S. Mc.

A. You had it right.  It goes flush against the wrong side and then you pull the ends out from under the binding and lap (and trim if necessary) the Velcro.  Be sure to put the hook up on one side and the loop on the other.  Go to the September 27 blog for an easier way to attach the mug bucket.  http://www.bucketsgonewild.blogspot.com/2012/09/buttons-and-bows.html#links.

Go Bucket is Going Places

Simplicity is going to carry the new Go Bucket in their Fall 2013 catalog. I knew it was a good pattern! You can still buy your Go Bucket pattern now at www.bucketsgonewild.com.

Four Hours to Plan

I'm in Monroe to watch my grandsons swim meet at ULM tomorrow. On the four hour drive, I had a lot of time to think about some possible tutorials. After a lot of positive feedback from friends and Facebook www.facebook.com/BGW/patterns about the latest art quilt. I'm thinking about a mini tute on making stencils from photographs.
Check back......

Back from Houston - Mini Quilt Break

Check my FB page for my newest mini quilt at www.facebook.com/BGW.patterns
This is a practice mini quilt about our summer vacation. I will make another, then tackle the larger one. I learned a lot of neat techniques at the many workshops and lectures I attended at the Houston Quilt Festival. One that I am anxious to try is using rattail to bind quilts.  I will probably use it on this little one, and then try the facing technique that another person taught.  I'll pull my notes and handouts and give the teachers full credit for their great classes. 

Houston Bound

Check out my Go Bucket and Mug Bucket patterns in Hissyfitz booth #1203 at the International Quilt Festival. Creative samples will be on display. I'm so excited that I'll be there with talented quilt designer Sandy Fitzpatrick.

All tests passed!

I made a flying trip to Monroe LA to visit two grandchildren, two children and friends.  Used my Go Bucket and loved it.  Husband used his denim Go Bucket on a trip to Dallas a few days earlier, and it passed the test with flying colors.  The lining was made from an oxford weave shirt that no longer fit.  Beautiful weave and red on white stripe was perfect with the denim.  I even left the shirt pocket in for a lining pocket. I love recycling!

Note the zippered pouch that holds coins and fits securely in the bottom of the Go Bucket.  That keeps the Go Bucket stable and upright, even with water bottles and coke cups in it.  The drawstring top can roll inward or outward to for different uses.  Of course, he had the top rolled inside.

Go Bucket is Going Strong!

This is the new Go Bucket with the drawstring top opened all the way up to pack and carry anything, but in this case, baby items. It would be just as useful for quilting and sewing supplies.  From Buckets Gone Wild! organizers, it was developed from a request for such an item.  In this case, my husband wanted one for his truck.  He won't get this one.....

Go Bucket Ready to Go

Woo Hoo!
Already getting wholesale orders for the Go Bucket and the ink isn't dry. It is so versatile I can't think of anyone who couldn't use one. Purse insert, car caddy, quilt buddy, baby basket, old person's medicine bucket (my husband's words) LOL--the list goes on.

Finding Jitter Buckets

PK sent the following email today:

I bought the Jitter Bucket pattern but can't find 5 qt buckets. I've been to three Walmarts, a Dollar General store, a Meijer store and a Menards and no one has them.  Can you tell me where to find them?

My reply was that I buy mine in the paint department at WalMart. I have also bought them at Lowe’s and the local hardware store.  Please note the bucket measurements on the pattern.  

 

There are other size buckets out there that work, but they don’t look as good. 

Have you had any problems finding the 5 quart buckets for the Jitter Bucket pattern?

Go Bucket Work

 It was a beautiful rainy day to stay inside and work. I had my granddaughter overnight.  She studied her respiratory therapy books while I worked on finishing up the Go Bucket.  I'm down to the third pocket style and  am very pleased with the finishing details.  I've sent it to my tester and tweaked the text tonight.  It's getting so close to be finished, I'm getting excited.

Go Bucket

My new Go Bucket pattern design. Removable pouch filled with coins in bottom holds it upright. Keeps your car organized! Take your personal items from purse to purse. Drawstring top folds inside or outside to make the sides a little more sturdy.  Soft sides can fit next to you in your car. Use it for baby items in the diaper bag.  DH requested one with vinyl pockets and denim body.  I recycled a good shirt that had shrunk (LOL) for the lining and trim.  Pic tomorrow.



Buttons and Bows?

Not bows, but hair elastics!  These make the Mug Bucket fit so much better over the cup.  You've got to try it. Just put buttons above and below the Velcro marking.  Of course you sew them on by machine.  I just love it.  So much easier.     

New Pattern Almost Ready

I'm putting the finishing touches on my new pattern, working title "Bucket to Go."  It is a flexible little, well not so little, organizer that can sit in our car to hold drinks, sunglasses, etc.. You can take it to your quilt meet, and it will hold your sewing supplies, your scraps, or what have you.  Look for a picture by this weekend.  My husband wants one for his car caddy, and a friend wants one for a purse insert.  It is going to be very versatile.  Stay tuned....

Productive Procrastination??

This Mug Bucket is something I whipped up while waiting to get energized to do what I really needed to do. Make sense?? I call it Productive Procrastinating.  I do think it turned out quite well and didn't take long at all.  I decided that I would make just four pockets on the inside instead of six, and it was much, much quicker and the pockets are more useful for makeup brushes, pens and such.  In fact, they form a nice little cloverleaf looking down from above.  Of course, I will incorporate it in the next printing and will detail it in the newsletter. Go to my website to sign up for my newsletter, which will be coming out this weekend.  I also have a great substitute for the Velcro that I'll be writing about and will add to the ePatterns too.  When I've got a big project to do (finishing a new pattern), my mind goes into overdrive! I did finish the pattern, but I have to tweak it a bit.  Now, let me see what I can find to do......   

Wonder Clips are Wonderful!

I  just used my recently purchased Wonder Clips for making my Mug Bucket pattern.  I wish I had had them when I was designing that pattern.  They are wonderful! I'll be using them with future designs for sure. 

They held the bias binding securely in place without the use of pins and were easy to open and remove. Made sewing bias binding a breeze!

Go to www.bucketsgonewild.com.

Sweet Note

I got the following note from a very sweet lady who needed to download her PDF patterns to a Kindle Fire and then transfer the files to her home computer, something that I was not familiar with:

 

I am sincerely grateful for your patience and professionalismregarding my "delimna" in downloading the mug and jitterpatterns.  I was able to successfully download both patterns.  I'mmost impressed with your prompt response to my emails and phonecalls for assistance.  Please feel free to use my comments as atestimony of my satisfaction with your patterns and customer service.

Again, thank you.
Y D L

Go to my website  www.bucketsgonewild.com.

Life Organizer on the Drawing Table?

In response to a survey question of what type organizer customers would like to see next, one person responded with "Life Organizer."  Coming right up, but I get the first one.LOL

I do have a real neat organizer pattern that will soon be published.  You have the option of fusing or quilting a fat quarter of cotton (approximately 18 X 22 inches) to fleece.  It gives the organizer a lot of body, and quilting it is a good chance to practice your FMQ, if you are into that.  I went to a Regional Studio Art Quilters Assoc meeting yesterday and got to admire some beautiful designs and free motion quilting.

In preparation for the final walk through on this pattern, I sat down and FMQ'd a full fat quarter.  I did pretty good, and plan to show it in the pattern instructions.  I would never take it to a quilt guild for show and tell, but it will be great for this pattern, as yet unnamed.  The name will come to me soon, just like the finishing details have.

Then, on to the Life Organizer!

Facebook Page Name

I guess the whole world knew before I did that your FB page could have a name, and there would not be a need to copy and paste all those letters, numbers and symbols.  Now my posts that refer to my page will be just www.facebook.com/BGW.patterns.

I've been productively procrastinating all day.  Instead of doing all the things I should, I made zippered, monogrammed makeup bags for two friends.  I'll share the pictures tomorrow.

Chicago

Husband, grandson Ross and his friend Trevor and I were walking down Michigan Avenue our first  evening in Chicago.  I was lucky enough to catch this shot with my Iphone 4S.  We had a great time in Chicago with these 16 year olds and have more pictures to post.

This "Bucket Band" was making music outside Wrigley Field last week when we went to see the Cubs play.  Another creative way to recycle!

Piping Sew Perfect

Piping Sew Perfect

Cut strip of fabric twice the width of desired piping plus the circumference of the cording.  You can use any firm cording of any size.  I'm using a polyester drapery cord that is 1/4 inch around.  I want 1/2 inch wide seam allowance so the fabric was cut  1 1/4 inch wide.  Preshrink cord if necessary.

Fold strip in half lengthwise wrong sides together and press.

Press 1/2" paper-backed fusible web to one side of the fold.

Remove paper.

Place the cord along the center fold.

Fold the side with the fusible web over the cording and press, pushing the cord toward the fold.  Protect the ironing surface with a teflon sheet, parchment paper or  release paper from fusible web.

Joining Piping

Cleanly cut an end on one piping strip to be joined.

 On other piping strip, pull the binding back 1 1/2 inches.

Turn under 1/4 inch.

Glue baste the under side of the folded edge to the back of the cut piping. Cut cording  evenly with the cut end of the first piping.

Fold the free edge of piping  over the other and glue baste.

Press the seam allowance against the cording.  

Use your cording foot to insert in the seam.  No unsightly basting stitching to show! I used this piping in a new design for the Jitter Bucket organizer pattern.

Georgia Manning Lewis

www.bucketsgonewild.com

Quilted Tote

I finally finished this quilted tote from Laurel Burch panels that I bought at Houston at least two quilt festivals ago.  Several times I almost gave it up, but I'm so glad I didn't.  Taking it to the beach, but it won't get near the sand!

Inside -- Must have pockets!

This isn't the usual organizer from Buckets Gone Wild!, but it is using up fabric that had just been taking up space for several years. Visit www.bucketsgonewild.com for other organizers.

Walker Tote Binding

Walker Tote

Brooke Robbins from missashcam sent an Etsy conversation on June 24, 2012.

Does this pattern use velcro to secure it? is it possible to make it without the bias tape? i am looking for a pattern to make a lot of them and donate them to local nursing homes so i like this pattern because it looks easy with no straps but the bias tape would be time consuming, thank you.

My reply:

This pattern does use Velcro to secure it.  It would be possible to make it without the double fold binding.  I do not use bias unless I have curves to bind.  Double fold binding on the straight edge is so much easier than bias.

You could easily make an envelope, layering the main fabric right side up, lining fabric right side down and then batting or fleece (omit if using upholstery fabric). Stitch a 1/2" seam, leaving an opening to turn inside out. Press and topstitch 1/4" around.  Sew on Velcro. Fold as marked on lines, and stitch on the side topstitching lines and down the center marked lines. 

If you need more detail, let me know.

Painted Pockets!

I took a class from Sarah Ann Smith (Sarah by the Sea)  where I learned to  make freezer paper stencils from traced designs.  I had a lot of fun tracing and painting  these cute little flowers.  Watch for the video on how I did it! Oh, by the way, this is the Mug Bucket from www.bucketsgonewild.com.

Jitter Bucket size

Care Package

Lynn wrote: I have just purchased the Mug Bucket from Home-Sew and am anxious to get started making one. I see you have a pattern for the jitter Bucket and I have a couple of questions. What are the dimensions, are the buckets specific to the pattern and where do you get them?

The bucket size is now in the Material List on the back of the pattern.  It is a 5 quart paint bucket, 8.5 diameter x 6.5 inches high.  The best place to buy them is at a hardware store or in the paint department at WalMart. The old ice cream buckets worked fine, but most have been replaced by a taller, thinner model.  Hmmm..... That just doesn't sound right!  :)

Happy sewing, Georgia

Renewed Inspiration

Enjoying a family vacation skiing in Reno/Tahoe.  Enjoying being with my family while they ski, that is.  I had a lot of free time today at the lodge to review online workshops, tutorials and ebooks on my laptop.  I just signed up for Linda Matthews' Creative Explorer and will begin in earnest when I get back home. 
I bought Laura Wasilowski's new book, Fanciful Stitches, Colorful Quilts, for the trip.  I love the design of the patterns. Hand embroidery is great for times when I'm not near my computer for my machines, but that time is rare.
I've been listening to some of the business experts on making better use of our limited time.  I plan to look for a accountant when I get home to handle my books. I've lined up a person at Hancock's to do my pattern testing.  Those things tend to bog me down.
Wishing you happy sewing days!
Georgia

Connecting Thread SAQA Regional Exhibit Report by Martha Ginn

Connecting Threads SAQA Regional Exhibit    by Martha Ginn

Martha Ginn wrote the following report.  My entry pictured at right is Butterfly 17" x 17".

 I just returned from Little Rock, AR, where I attended the opening reception of "Connecting Threads," a Studio Art Quilt Associates regional exhibit of Contemporary Art Quilts at the Butler Center Galleries of the Arkansas Studies Institute. SAQA regional reps Deb Kuster and Michelle Jones had done a great job of arranging and hosting our first exhibit for the LA/MS/AR/AL region.

The exhibit was curated by fiber artist Amie Adelman, associate professor of fibers, College of Visual Arts and Design, University of North Texas in Denton. Amie attended the opening and the following day presented a program of her works and also discussed and critiqued each work in the exhibit.


In the Beginning, 44" x 36" (left) Pacific Coast, 15" x 18" (right)

Amie Adelman and Martha Ginn

The exhibit will run through April 28 and includes 23 quilts from 15 artists in the region: Barbara Carlson, Darlene Garstecki, Michelle Jones, Deborah Kuster, Georgia Lewis, Judy Tipton Rush, Margie Trembley, and Ruth Anne Yax from Arkansas; Donna Leigh Jackins, Murray Johnston, and Dorothy West from Alabama; and Martha Ginn, Sheri Marshall, Sarah Scott, and Marcus Weekley from Mississippi.

Pocket Purse from 6 inch Practice Quilting Block

Do you have many practice quilt sandwiches just lying around?  Well,  I had practiced some designs with gold thread on leftover drapery lining laundered several times to remove the soil-resistant finish.   The gold thread, used on top and bottom, really looked great. Needing to make another sample Pocket Purse,  I hand dyed the fabric.  The batting shrunk, giving the fabric a great texture. 

With the quilted fabric, I was able to leave out the lining, so it only took about 30 minutes to make the Pocket Purse.  To dress it up, I used a gold paint stick in the center of each design.  Then I rubbed some leftover flecks on the zipper.  I took an 1/8" strip of  the dyed sandwich and zigzag stitched over it with the gold thread to make a matching cording and added large-eyed beads.  In less than an hour, I had a great looking Pocket Purse and had used up some of my supplies.  A win-win!