Oops .... almost forgot about this blog !

Oops !!! Sorry !  Forgot to mention on this blog that my original blog is OK and back up and running (was temporarily sidelined by a nasty virus so I started this one ).  Anyhow, you can catch up with me and all the "Moonbeams in a Jar"  news at http://moonbeamsinajar.blogspot.com

Thanks for visiting!
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

College Quilt Countdown ......10, 9, 8, 7 .........uh oh !

Well, my youngest birdie, Evan is leaving the nest and moving into his first college apartment. Move in day is in T minus 10 days !!!! ..... and of course there's a quilt that (I'm hoping) will be going to college with him. Problem is (and this is no surprise to those of you who are familiar with the MBIAJ Quilting and Sewing Dept) the quilt isn't finished !

This quilt was started last year in honor of his high school graduation. Fabrics and colors were approved by the teenager himself. The "595" is his dirtbike racing number.

And, those circles are his original doodles done on fabric. (this kid is FAMOUS for his over the top "totally bored in class" notebook doodle art. )

I have to finish putting borders on the back of the quilt. At his graduation party last summer, everybody signed this piece of plain fabric , which, after I add those fun "chef" and drum fabrics, will become the quilt back. (Evan is not only a talented doodle artist, he is an amazing drummer and chef!)

By the way, since this is a "work in progress" (one of many), I'm linking in with the "W.I.P Wednesday" gang over at Freshly Pieced.

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ........ it's gonna be here WAY before I'm ready (and I'm not just talking about the quilt ...... SOB !)

Be back soon!

Toodles,

Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Low Tech Texting

Lookie what I borrowed from my Dad ! This (for those of you who are MUCH younger than most of my shoes) is a manual typewriter . This typewriter is very similar to the one I took to college to write all those fun term papers on . Yes, kids, this is before personal computers, cell phones, etc. Back in the dark ages when I was in college, you had to haul your rear end to the library and read books , take notes, then go back to your cinder block dorm room (equipped with a dorm fridge, and a hot plate ....... no tv, no phone , no bathroom ...... those things were down the hall) and type up your paper ...... without spell check (that's what a dictionary, thesaurus, and White Out are for).

Anyway, I borrowed this typewriter NOT to type on paper, but to see if it would type on FABRIC !!! It DOES !!!!

So, I typed, typed, typed , typed, and typed some more .......

........ and ended up with some fun "text" fabric .

.....so, I thought I'd combine it with my "homemade handwritten " fabric and , maybe use those cute little alphabet stamps to make some other "text" fabric; add some red, blue and yellow prints and scribble out a design for a 12" block to ........

....join in the fun at "During Quiet Time" where a "Texting While Sewing " contest is going on ! You still have time to enter ..... she will have a link up at her blog on August 27, 28, and 29. (of this year ....... uh oh ...... gotta go ...... lots of sewing to do ...... after I recover from all that typing !)

Be back soon!

Toodles,

Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Chain Gang Clams ! (aka Chain Fused Clams)

Happy summer Saturday afternoon !  We're having an on again off again thunderstormy day here at MBIAJ Too Headquarters , so it's an indoors kind of  summer day .  I used to LOVE indoors summer days when I was  a kid .... I'd spend the day coloring,  reading a good Nancy Drew book , playing Barbies, or sewing some sleezy lingerie for Barbie with my hand crank kid sewing machine.  So on this rainy summer afternoon, I had the urge to :

 1) work on a summer themed project
 2) use up some leftover charm squares                                    
 3) keep it simple (because I'm basically lazy!)

Summer themed project , hmmmmm.........how about clamshells !!  That's summery !   Summer at the shore and clams on the beach !  I LOVE the look of clamshell quilts ..... but, again , WAY too lazy to make one the traditional way!  So, here's what I came up with ..... "Chain Gang Clams !"   or  to be exact  "Chain Fused Clams".                    



This is what I used:
1) leftover charm squares
2) light fusible web
3) roll of duck tape (or whatever you want to use for your circle pattern that fits on the charm square)
4)  non stick applique pressing sheet
5) piece of base fabric (whatever size you want your quilt or project to be)

Trace the circle pattern onto the paper side of the fusible web;  then draw a second circle inside that circle.

Roughly cut outside the outer drawn circle line (leave at least 1/4 - 1/2 inch all around the outside line) .  Then cut away the center of the circle.

Following the instructions on the fusible web package, fuse the web circle to the wrong side of a fabric charm square.

Cut the fabric out on the outer drawn line .

Now cut the fabric circles in half.

Next, using the non stick applique pressing sheet, lay out your "clams" in whatever order you like and however many in a row you want.  Overlap the clams by about 1/4" at bottom edges and fuse the bottom edges to each other.

I made two rows of five clams (in this picture they are still on the applique pressing sheet). (i.e. two fused chains of five clams)

When cooled, carefully remove your chain fused clams and fuse the first row onto your base fabric.

Stagger your second fused chain of clams and fuse , overlapping the first row of chain fused clams. 

In the second row you will probably have a clam thats hanging over the edge....

......so, fold it in half  and...

......cut the excess off , then .......

.....go to the opposite end of the row and fuse it on there.    You can keep going with your rows like this and make your clamshell quilt as big or small as you want.   I only had a few charm squares that I wanted to use up, so my clamshell project will be small ......

...and I think I like a couple of rows of chain fused clams on either side of this piece of fabric ...... with some ric rac added.   I'm planning to add batting and quilt around the top of each clam (maybe by hand for a fun summer take along project).   Then , if all of that is finished before the whole thing disintegrates , I'll have to decide what to do with it .   Maybe a pillow?  Any other ideas?

Be back soon!

Toodles,        

Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Moonbeams in a Jar , too !

Well, here I am ..... still the same "Moonbeams in a Jar" blog, but without that dang malware that infected my other blog (I just couldn't seem to get rid of it , so decided to just start a whole new blog ..... how's that for cleaning house !!!)  Makes me MAD though, I started that blog in March of 2007 !  FIVE years of blabbing and designs and tutorials ...... down the drain ..... well, maybe the computer guy can help me salvage it.  But, til then, I guess I'll be here .... at Moonbeams in a Jar, too !