My First Sponsor!!

I am so excited to share my first sponsor with you.

Jackie is from Canton Village Quilt Works.

Jackie has been in business as a wonderful, award winning machine quilter for over 10 years and has now become a sales representative for Gammill Quilting Machines.

Click here to visit her amazing website or click her button on my right side bar. It's filled with links to her blog, fabric shops, gallery of quilts and a link to her podcasts too!! You can also click here to go to her great shop!

Stop by and tell her Sew Many Ways sent you!!

Thanks Jackie for being my first sponsor...can't thank you enough!

If you'd like to advertise with Sew Many Ways...click here to read more info or click the advertising page just under my title.

Take care,

~Karen~

Thoughts on Thursday...

My favorite cookie...hands down...

Oatmeal Raisin!!

How about you?

Happy Thursday,
Karen

Blog Buddy...How to Adjust the Width Of Your Blog

Here's another blog tip for you from my Blog Buddy feature. If you want to read more tips, just click the Blog Buddy Button link on the right side bar or click the Blogging Tips Page just under my blog title.

Today is a quick tip on how to stretch your blog width!

• you can stretch the entire blog
• you can stretch the side bars (left, right or both depending on your blog template)

Here's how my blog page looks. I use the Simple template with a white background. I think if you have a picture or design as your background, just the post section and the side bars stretch

                          

Tool Time Tuesday...Magnetic Clamp Sewing/Kitchen Helper!

Welcome to Tool Time. You know I love the hardware store. I roam around just looking at things and think to myself...hmmm, what can I use this for (other than it's intended purpose).

Well, here's this week's tool that I won't be using for painting! It's a magnetic clamp for your paint can.

It clips to just about anything...

If you do use it for painting, it has this little metal thingy that gets under the lip of the paint can to pry it open.

Here is the original use. Clamps to your paint bucket and the magnet holds your paint brush.

The metal part of the brush sticks to the magnet.

Not using it for that here at Sew Many Ways though...

How about clamping it to your stitching patterns to hold your place in the book and the magnet holds your needles.

You can keep several needles threaded and stick them to the magnet.

How many times do you lose your spoon in cake or pancake batter? No more! Clamp it to a bowl and the spoon sticks to the magnet!

You won't being fishing for your spoon at the bottom of the bowl any more. This is made from plastic, so I wouldn't try this on a pan.

Back to sewing. If you have a small table or something next to where you do your hand sewing...use the clamp!

Holds your pins and needles perfectly...never search for them in the chair again!

Now here's the best! I sew a lot in the car on long trips. I've had 2 other tutorials for sewing helpers in the car, but this is the easiest to use.

Just clamp it to your air vent and never search for you needles again!

If you think I don't use my crazy creations, here is a picture of my car Monday morning on the way to work. That red note pad is a tutorial I made from a plastic gift card and a name badge clamp. Way down the end of the picture is the clamp for my sewing.

The clamp is found in the paint section and costs, I think, about $1 or so. Well worth it for a needle keeper.

Here are the links to some of the things I mentioned above...

Click here for the note pad clamp

Click here for the car caddy tutorial

Click here for a cup holder sewing organizer

Thanks so much for stopping by. If you haven't visited this week's Sew Darn Crafty Party, click here to join the fun...everyone shares such great projects. Maybe you can link up too!

Happy Tuesday,
~Karen~

Make A Gift On The 25th Club...Bread Wrap With Warmer

Welcome to another addition of Make A Gift On The 25th Club. Read the original Club post by clicking here. In short, this club is to help all of us who are proCRAFTinators and end up making gifts on Christmas Eve. Well, no more!!

If you've joined the club since July 25th, you should have made a few gifts so far. However, there is still plenty of time to squeeze in some crafting time and get a few gifts made.

I've done two posts and tutorials for helpful ideas...

Click here for the July 25th tutorial for sewing an endless scarf

Click here for the August 25th tutorial for the cell phone key chain case

Click here to learn how to add the button found on the right side bar.

Here is September's tutorial...a Bread Wrap and Warmer. These are perfect for just about anyone on your gift list. Great idea for teachers, neighbors, friends or those gifts you have tuck away for those unexpected guests. Super fast to make up too. Great to add a loaf of homemade bread and jar of jam too!

Supplies...

• 2 place mats
• ribbon
• uncooked rice

I'm using the striped side of this place mat for the outside.

Cut 6 pieces of ribbon 8-10 inches long.

Pin 3 pieces of ribbon on the wrong side of place mat, spaced evenly on each of the long sides.

Sew in place. Don't forget to turn under the raw edge so the ribbon doesn't fray.

Stitch back and forth a few times to secure.

When all 6 are sewn on the place mat...the bread wrap is done!! See, I told you it was fast.

Now to make the warmer. This is a long, thin pillow with a little bit of uncooked rice inside. When you microwave it for a few seconds, it will keep the bread warm during dinner.

The second place mat will be used for this and some rice.

Fold up one long edge of the place mat so you have about 4 inches folded up.

Trim off any edges to have a straight edge on all sides.

I'm using the striped side, so fold right sides together.

Sew down the long side and one short side with a 1/4 inch seam, leaving the other short side open.

Turn right side out.

Now fill with the uncooked rice. Don't fill it all the way. Just enough to have a flat layer on the bottom of the pillow.

Roll up a piece of paper or use a funnel to pour the rice in.

Turn in the raw edge and pin.

Top stitch the opening closed.

Now it's all set to be tucked inside, waiting for a yummy loaf of bread.

Microwave the pillow for 10-15 seconds at a time until desired temperature. Place in the middle of the bread wrap, stack with bread and...

Tie it up!!

The bread wrap is great to hold the bread with while cutting.

and the bread stays warm waiting for the next slice to be cut!

This is an easy one and can be made up very quickly. Look for place mats in the clearance rack too. These place mats were 75 cents. A great gift for $1.50 a little ribbon and some rice!

Don't forget to visits today's Sew Darn Crafty linking party and add your link. Both posts fell on this Sunday, so I did 2 posts in a row.

Happy 25th,
~Karen~

Sew Darn Crafty Party...Week 33

Happy Sunday and welcome to another fun week of Sew Darn Crafty. Each Sunday and all week long wonderful bloggers share all their project and ideas. I had mentioned earlier about having themed Sundays for the next few months with the upcoming holidays.

You can still add any project each week, but having mostly the theme of the week would be great!!

Here are the weeks and the theme for that week...so start putting all your great posts together!

October 2nd...Anything Autumn
October 16th...Halloween
October 30th...Apple or Pumpkin Recipes
November 6th...Anything Autumn
November 13th...Pie Recipes
December 4th...Christmas/Holiday Decor
December 11th...Cookie Recipes
December 18th...Last Minute gift ideas

If you want to add the button to your blog...Click HERE for a tutorial for adding a button


If you're new to Sew Darn Crafty, then grab a cup of something tasty, sit back and join in on the fun (starts Sunday and lasts all week long at Sew Many Ways).

WHAT IS SEW DARN CRAFTY...

• "Sew" for anything to do with sewing,
• "Darn" for anything to do with knitting. I always think of darning to do with knitting, but in my case "darn" usually is similar to the word I say when I mess up crafting!!
• Let's not forget the word "crafty"...that can mean just about anything we do to create.

WHAT IS A LINKING PARTY...

So now we all know what Sew Darn Crafty means, let's explain a linking party again. I subscribe to a linking service, which provides the ability to link thumbnail pictures on my blog. The picture is a link that other bloggers provide to share their projects.

Two things can happen at a linking party...looking and/or linking

• you can be greatly inspired by wonderful projects, ideas or vacation pictures (looking) and/or
• you can share what you've been up to (linking)

If you want to be inspired by all the great ideas...just click on a picture and it will take you to that post from a wonderful blogger willing to share her thoughts and ideas.


HOW AND WHAT TO LINK TO THE PARTY...

Sew Darn Crafty is all about YOU!! Show off your projects, share a tutorial, show us your vacation pictures, share a family favorite recipe...share anything. Not only does linking inspire us all, it also brings lots of new people to your blog for a visit. Click here for past parties and lots of inspiration

Easy steps to join in on the fun...

• link up to the specific project post, not your whole blog. Makes it easier to link right to that post and not  search through all your entire blog. To find the http address to a specific post, just click on the Title of your post.
• link as many projects as you'd like...old or new
• anything goes...cooking, sewing, knitting, crafts, organizing, remodeling projects, vacations, parties etc...
• visit other links to share some blogging love! You know we all love comments!
• grab a Sew Darn Crafty button for your blog (on my right side bar) or just link to the party in your post.
• the more we share, the more people will join and then there's more inspiration to look at!
• linking is open til Saturday night, so plenty of time to join in
• just click the "click here to enter" button and follow the easy steps

Have fun linking up! Don't forget to come back and take a look at all the great projects during the week,

~Karen~

Sew Darn Crafty Party MVPs...

Hello Ladies...and maybe some gents. This past week's Sew Darn Crafty links were just wonderful!! I loved every one of them. According to the linking service that I use, the projects below had the most hits and are this week's MVPs..Most Viewed Posts.

If you haven't looked at all the party links for last week, click here to go to the party. The next party starts after midnight tonight.

The first post is a project after my own organizing heart. I just LOVE this idea from Debbie at Pieceful Living. She uses empty cd case to organize all her needles. Click here to visit her great blog and this project. thanks Debbie for sharing this idea...it's on my "to do" list for sure!

These beautiful pumpkins are just in time for fall and again on my "to do" list. I love the colors of fall and these are the perfect addition to my autumn decor. You can click here to visit Ellen at Creative Passage to see more pictures of these beauties and a link to make them!! Thanks so much for linking up!

This quilt wall hanging is a must see on Kirie's blog Shape Moth...click here to go for a visit. Oh my gosh this is too cute and the colors just pop. I love the fabric and the ribbons. Go to her blog and see the detailed pictures and the free paper piecing pattern. This would be on my "to do" list, but I have to learn how to paper piece first lol !! Then it's a must.

Thanks so much ladies for sharing these projects. If you'd like to grab a "featured" button, you can get the code on the right side bar under the feature button.

If any one wants to learn how to add any button to your blog...you can click here for one of my tutorials.

Thanks again for always linking up to Sew Darn Crafty,
~Karen~

The First Day Of Fall...I Smell Apples and Cinnamon

Happy first day of Fall! However, here in southern New England it's raining, sticky and humid. Last week it was cool, in the low 60's and felt like autumn...not so much for the next week or so here.

Well, the temperature may not be fall, but I'm going to make it smell like autumn in my house. I posted this idea before, but wanted to share it again.

When I think of Fall, I think apples and cinnamon. Use your crock pot to slowly simmer apples, cinnamon, and a few whole cloves to fill your home with the greatest smell ever!!

For this batch, I saved the cores and peels from a recipe I had made earlier. I think you could probably freeze them until you need them.

Add a little water and simmer away.

A wonderful smell from something you were going to throw away.

You could also use the apple part and find a great recipe for apple sauce and then at the end, you'll have a yummy treat to eat too along with filling up your home with the smell of autumn.

Don't forget to look in on all the great ideas on this week's Sew Darn Crafty and you still have time to add a link of your own. Click here to go take a peek!

Happy Fall,
~Karen~

Thoughts on Thursday...

Monday through Friday breakfast for me is on the fly...cup of tea and a breakfast bar of some kind in the car.

Saturdays after a long walk and Sundays after church, my hubby and I go out for breakfast!

Breakfast is my favorite meal...I even love breakfast night, when we have breakfast for dinner.

What's your favorite meal of the day?

Happy Thursday,
~Karen~

Early Start On Christmas...

Let me just clarify something right up front...I am never early when it comes to Christmas cards. I'm usually rushing to take a picture of the girls, print the pictures, stuff each card and then get them in the mail . Last year the cards went out on December 21st...technically not late, but not early at all.

Well, this week hubby and I were shopping in Walmart and if you can believe it, they have some Christmas things out. These cards jumped out at me. My husband insisted we get them, because that's what holds me up every year...finding the perfect card.