revel designs diary

serging along.

revel designs — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:44:53 +0000

I have wanted a serger for sometime now, meaning forever! I decided to buy this one. The reviews were mixed but the price was right. To make a long, long, long… long story short, I’m returning it. There were threading issues. You get what you pay for. It did the job but with way too much frustration. I am definitely going to buy a new one! The possibilities, ooooh the possibilities. I managed to get this little project in before giving up on the little bugger. A set of freshly starched dinner napkins as a hostess gift. I can’t wait to make more for myself!

a stitch in time: a quilt story.

revel designs — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:35:27 +0000

I had the honor of finishing a beautiful quilt started by my sweet aunt’s late mother. Her mother had done several coordinating quilt blocks all done by hand. Such elegant little stitches showed the love and hardwork that had been put into these squares.

These squares were aged from time and one of them had been left in a hoop over the years causing yellowing. The only solution I could come up with was to tea stain the entire quilt top to hide the discolorations.

I spent alot of tea and time to test my strips for just the right color and timing. It was a little scary to put this one of a kind piece into a vat of hot tea but it had to be done!

It’s done! So amazing how designs from decades ago are still poular today. I loved examining all of her sweet little stitches and thinking that one day I might take a turn at quilting by hand… someday.

the good news is that it’s still Fall.

revel designs — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 02:11:06 +0000

… 144 boxed corners later.

revel designs — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 00:47:54 +0000

36 totes for our church’s ladies’ retreat. Check!

Boxed corners give an everyday tote depth and dimension but it can add so much work to an already heavy load. I usually align the side and bottom seams, pin, measure, sew and cut. I found a much quicker process for this job.

For a 4″ boxed corner, I cut out a cardboard 2″ x 2″ square. I traced it onto the bottom corners of the sewn fabric, including the seam allowance, and cut them out.

I opened it up, aligned the side and bottom seams and stitched away, using my presser foot as the seam allowance. Done!

Quilt Market 2011.

revel designs — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 14:15:39 +0000

I can’t believe it’s that time of year again. Our annual trek to International Quilt Market in Houston. So inspiring to see fresh new lines, old favorites and new ones!

Here are just a few of the scenes that caught my eye. From left to right:

Echo by Lotta Jansdotter

Fiesta by Jennifer Sampou

from the Anna Griffin booth

birch fabrics

Shabby Chic by Rachel Ashwell

kid friendly bandanas.

revel designs — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 21:31:19 +0000

It’s dress up time! My girls dressed up for a Western adventure and no cowgirl is complete without her bandana. They wore them to school so I didn’t want them to have to deal with the traditional knotted bandana. I applied a denim button on to one side and an elastic loop to the other.

Perfect solution! They could easily take it on and off and it was never too tight. Not too shabby!

welcome to our nest.

revel designs — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 04:15:12 +0000

organized chaos.

revel designs — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 18:14:45 +0000

Yes. I do have collecting/hoarding issues. I love vintage castoffs. I am slowly trying to utilize all that I have instead of keeping them locked up, or better yet, stacked up. I have had this window around for years!

It is now being used as a dry erase weekly calendar. Not only will it help me to better organize my time but I get to enjoy the beauty of this beat up treasure. I put oil cloth in the back for color and stamped on the front with simple acrylic paint.

enjoying fall.

revel designs — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 18:53:21 +0000

I know I’ve been AWOL for a loooong while. I’ve been living life and enjoying every minute! It’s starting to cool off a bit and I always fall head over heals in love with FALL all over again. Pumpkin lattes, baked goods and a fresh new color pallette all around me!! Can’t complain.

capturing summer.

revel designs — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 02:08:46 +0000

It flew by and I don’t want to forget a moment.