The Mint Needle

Spring has arrived! And even though it may be chilly outside, in the house, the flowers are stirring with this adorable vintage inspired apron. I had this idea when I realized that a lovely pair of polyester shams, (hand me downs from Grams), were never going to make it to the bed. But geez.... that fabric would be perfect for a hostess apron!  Take your dupa shopping to some resale shops! You'll want to get as many vintage shams as you can because these would make the perfect gift too:) The bigger the ruffles, the better the apron! Take your washed sham to the cutting table. Fold it length wise and make a cut off center. (To know where to cut, play around first by folding over your apron, creating two layers. Do you like them closer together or farther apart?) The coolest thing - your apron is even guaranteed a secret pocket - the old pillow opening! You can see in the picture below where I placed my scissors. Pin your layers together. Make sure that...

The new machine has arrived and a drum roll is completely necessary for my Janome Horizon Memory Craft 8200! Can I add 'Special Addition' to that? This machine has everything I wanted and more. I ended up going to a local quilt and fabric shop, Pins and Needles , where I got to sit down and try out a couple of machines. I'm not going to lie in this post. The Baby Lock had me as soon as I started stitching, but the throat space and lack of 'extras' had me asking... what am I really getting a new machine for? With the Janome, I can finally free motion all those giant quilt tops that have been sitting so neatly in the basket without the fear of skipped stitches.  Isn't she beautiful? With my purchase, I luckily got a couple of free classes on how to use this beast. (I say beast because it's super heavy and HUGE compared to my other machines.) So far, I've gone to one and I can't believe all that this machine is capable of. I hope the in...