Posted on 42 Comments

Twin Jackets!!

I couldn’t make just one.  Making two was sew much more fun!

Twin Jackets!!

warm quilted jacket

 

 

cool quilted jacket

Almost identical…one warm, one cool.  I dug into my stash of Alison Glass fabric to create these quilted jackets using my Sketchbook Jacket pattern.  The quilted jackets are custom made for and wrapped around a 2019 Quilter’s Planner.  Which is your favorite?I have been cooking these jackets up just for you! 

YES!  I want to give these jackets…with a 2019 Quilter’s Planner in each…to YOU!

This giveaway is two parts>  one part blog and one part Instagram.

 

Each package includes:

2019 Quilter’s Planner with custom jacket
the Quilter’s Planner Magazine
Quilter’s Planner Mini planner
Pollen Pillow EPP set

 

One package will be given to a randomly drawn comment on each post [one from this blog post & one from this Instagram post]

You can comment on both posts [duplicate draws will be redrawn]

Random draw will be Tuesday 23 October 2018 at 7:30 pm PDT.

Here’s how you do it…

  1. Comment here with your email address and/or on the Instagram post.
  2. Tag friends on the Instagram post. Share this blog post on Facebook, Pinterest, or Email using the links at the end of the post.
  3. Follow me>>Penguin Feats on Instagram  and if you are sew inclined to follow the blog using the Subscribe box in the column to the right>>>
  4. Share the love by following The Quilter’s Planner on Instagram and visiting the Quilter’s Planner blog here!  There is a great troop there creating the beautiful planner to make 2019 the best year ever!

*must be 18 years or older to enter
*this giveaway is in no way endorsed, administered, sponsored by, or associated with Instagram.  

A random comment has been drawn.  The email requesting shipping address has been sent.  Check your email.  If  there is no response by 25 October 8am PDT another comment will be randomly drawn.   

Congratulations to Cathy C.  Your package is on the way…and I hope it makes your 2019 amazing!! 

Posted on 138 Comments

Baby it’s cold outside…

Hot N Cold Pack

A new pattern and a giveaway…all wrapped in one for the season.

It’s getting cold outside and what would be better to make than something to keep you warm, relax your tired muscles, and make you feel cozy?  A microwavable heat pack made with all natural flax seed and cotton fabrics.

 

At the end of this tutorial I will be giving away a kit so you can make your very own with the cute organic penguin flannel from Cloud 9 fabrics.

Download the free template here.

 

1 FQ  main fabric- 100% cotton flannel fabric

1 FQ  lining fabric- 100% cotton woven (muslin or kona)

approximately 12 ounces natural raw whole flax seeds

100% cotton thread (30 wt quilting thread)

 

 

 

Cut 2 main fabric & 2 lining fabric placing template on fold.

 

 

 

 

 

Place 1 lining on 1 main fabric piece.  Repeat for second piece.

 

Place layers with right sides of main fabric together lining up all corners and edges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stitch 1/4 inch seam, leaving a 4-5 inch opening at top center of heat pack.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clip inner corners making sure not to clip threads.

 

 

 

 

 

Turn right side out.

 

 

 

Using a stitch length of 3 or 3.5, edge stitch around seam making sure to back stitch at start and end of opening at top.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mark your top stitching to create the cells for the flax seed to move around.   Keep the stitching at least 1 inch away from the edges of the heat pack.

 

Stitch along your marked lines securing the stitches at the beginning and end of each line.

 

 

Fill the heat pack with flax seed.  I have found that a large smoothie straw helps get the flax seed in the hard to reach areas.  A funnel can be used.  I created a funnel using a paper plate and straw.

Try to fill the heat pack as full as possible moving it around a lot to help the seeds settle into all the corners.  Using pins or clips to hold the opening closed, fold over the raw edge, toward the inside of the opening and stitch the opening closed making sure to back stitch at the beginning and end.

 

In order to warm, place in microwave and heat in 30 second intervals.  Remove between each interval and move around so no area of the flax seeds get over heated.   It could take 3 to 5 intervals depending on the power of your microwave.

I don’t recommend adding oils or fragrances to the filling since the heat pack will be placed in the microwave.

This heat pack can also be frozen for a cold pack.  Just place in a ziploc bag in the freezer and use as needed.

I am linking up with Giveaway Day at Sew Mama Sew.  Be sure to visit and check out all the other great giveaways!

 

 

Now for the giveaway!  Wouldn’t you like to make your very own hot/cold pack?

This kit has enough fabric & flax seed to make two…so you can make one hot and one cold!

I love these packs.  I have 2 in my freezer and one always ready to microwave for my sore achy muscles.  When my muscles are tight they get the hot pack and when they just hurt they get the cold pack.  I love to use my cold pack on my neck when I get headaches!

 

Leave a comment and tell me what you prefer for your sore muscles….hot, cold, or both. Please be sure to leave an email address so you can be contacted if you win.

Comments will be closed on December 11th at 5pm PST.  A random number will be chosen from the comments and announced on Monday, December 12th at noon PST.  This giveaway is open in the USA only.

***The winner of the giveaway is Cathy C.  Thank you everyone for leaving comments.  Whether you like hot or cold or both, I hope you will make more than one so you can have a hot & cold pack for all those aches & pains.

If you make one of these hot or cold packs from the tutorial be sure to share on social media using the #penguinfeatshotandcold and tag me @penguinfeats

 

 

Posted on 5 Comments

Terry Potholder Tutorial & Giveaway

finished2

I developed this pattern for potholders when I couldn’t find any terry potholders that were thick enough for me to use without feeling the burn.  It seems all the potholders are cotton fabric with a thin layer of padding…and the cotton fabric doesn’t wash up as nice as the terry cotton.

 

The Fabric Box for the potholders is made using this tutorial from Seaside Stitches.  I cut my fabric squares at 18 inches and stitch 4 inch corner triangles since I used a larger fabric square.  I find this size to be perfect for holding 4 potholders and a couple towels.

 

What you need to make 4 potholders

Potholder template [download here]

1 bath towel [I recommend a very inexpensive 100% cotton towel.  Heavy thick towels are too thick to quilt. Some towels are big enough to cut 8 potholders from.]

Cotton batting [1 layer 1oo% cotton batting the same size as your towel]

Cotton thread 40 or 50 wt.

1 Fat Quarter of fabric A for pockets

½ yard of fabric B for bias binding (or 3 yards bias binding)

 

Layer:

layers1

 

Lay the towel out flat with single layer of batting on top. Fold the towel and batting in half with the batting in the center.  If there is a non terry edge to the towel, don’t layer this part and don’t quilt this area.

 

 

 

 

pinbaste

 

 

Pin baste in place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quilt:

use masking tape to mark quilt lines

 

Using a long ruler, mark one diagonal line with painters tape.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

quilttape

 

Using a medium stitch (about 3 mm) stitch along the tape line.

Using a seam guide, stitch lines 1 inch apart over entire towel surface.

Don’t stitch on the non-terry part of the towel.

 

 

 

*using a walking foot is very helpful to get even lines without puckers or folds.

 

mark2

 

Using a long ruler, mark one line perpendicular to the stitched lines with painters tape. Using a medium stitch (about 3 mm) stitch along the tape line.

Using a seam guide, stitch lines 1 inch apart over entire towel surface.

 

 

 

*if you want to have diamonds, mark this line at 60 degrees instead of 90 degrees.

Download and print the template. Be sure to print at actual size or the potholder base will be too small.

Cut:

tracetemplate

 

Mark outline of the potholder base using a thick marker.

It helps to stitch just inside the marked line to prevent stretching and unraveling of the terry cotton.

Cut the potholder base along the marked line. Don’t cut inside or outside the line, cut along the marked line.

 

 

Cut 6 inch wide strips from Fabric A.  Press in half lengthwise so you have 3 inch wide strips.

Topstitch along folded edge at ¼ inch.

Cut the strips into 5 1/4 inch lengths.

Cut 1 ¾ inch bias strips from fabric B.  I recommend the 25 mm bias tape maker for the potholders.

Join strips to make one continuous strip.  Press the seams open and trim ears.

makebias

 

Using bias tape maker press the bias strip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assemble:

Pin pockets to potholder base matching side edges and top edges keeping the folded edges straight.  Baste pockets to the potholder base with 1/8 inch seam.  Trim corners off pockets to match potholder base.

pockets

 

stitchbias

 

Beginning on straight side, stitch bias tape to potholder front using ¼ inch seam matching the raw edges of the potholder with the raw edge of the bias tape.

 

 

 

 

 

trimbiasends

 

Trim the ends of the bias binding so the overlap is the same length as the width of the bias binding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

mitrebiasends

 

Join the ends of the bias tape by stitching across the outside corners.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stitch down the remaining section of bias binding using ¼ inch seam.

biasfinish

 

Fold bias tape over raw edge of potholder base.  Stitch bias tape down on potholder back using ¼ inch seam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And now for the giveaway…yes…I will be giving the cute little box and potholders to one lucky Instagram follower!  If you want to have a chance to win this lovely set do just two little things…

1. Follow PenguinFeats on Instagram

2. Repost the giveaway pic on Instagram using #handswontburn and tag @penguinfeats

 

I will randomly select one person to send the potholder set to.  This giveaway will end 10 April 2016 at midnight HST.   Open internationally.

The giveaway has closed.  Thank you for participating! And the winner is…..

Barbara T.