Happy Saturday!

I had such a great time in Northern California at my family reunion. My cousins started a group chat so now there are 5 of us that text each other all the time and stay in touch. We are the middle generation cousins and are planning our next get together for early next year.

Even though my entire weekend was spent traveling, I felt so great at work this week and had a new pep in my step. I really needed to spend time with family. Being all alone in Southern California can get lonely, being lonely is no fun. My husband is a yacht captain so he works most weekends leaving me home alone. I don't mind at all now that I'm all into my crafts and this blog. Thank you for being here.

My step dads sons were rebellious in their youth, I learned they snatched a ton of street signs from around my hometown. Like this beauty pictured above. I can't believe they never got caught! Don't do this at home kids.

My blog is for yarn and fabric crafters. I know some of you may sell handmade items like I just started doing. Isn't it fun, scary and a big learning curve? Besides making your handmade goods you also need to be tech savvy and do advertising. That's part of growing, you need to get out of your comfort zone sometimes. Just remember to breath and don't let it overwhelm you.

If you quilt but don't really sew other things, you are missing out on a ton of fun projects. I still can't believe I know how to do zippers now and turn things out. My projects got better and were made faster just by doing it over and over again. Just like with crochet or quilting.

Last week I shared how to sew a zipper on projects. My new post explains how to get bags to stand on their own. If this interests you (and it should!), read how to sew a tote bag with a flat bottom (three methods). Sewing is so cool because there are many ways to do the same thing. Try them all and pick the one you like best or mix it up and do them all one bag or pouch at a time.

Plus you can download the instructions for free without any ads. That way you have the printable instructions to carry over to your sewing table or sewing machine.

Fusible Interfacing. If you have been trying to buy Pellon Fusible Interfacing as shown in the pic above you will know it's out of stock on Amazon. I get asked all the time what is a good alternative. Even though it has fleece, it's very thin and works great on tote bags and other sewing items that need structure. It's fleece fusible interfacing and it's only fusible on one side. It's not Pellon but I think it's a good alternative and it's in stock.

This morning I just posted a thrifty way to make your own personalized labels. The post says sewing labels but depending on the fabric you use and the size of your label, you could definitely use these on crochet items and quilts. If you are a maker selling these items, I've included my sewing label template for free, just download it but please don't judge. I almost didn't share it because it's not perfect. I'm not a perfectionist if you haven't noticed. It's pictured below and it's not perfect but did the job for my labels with minimal work to create.

I created this in Canva but the templates didn't fit what I was looking for. I just wanted a fairly thin label with just my blog name. All in black print. I used scrap yardage but it was a natural shade of muslin so my labels look a little dull. I suggest using white cotton so it's brighter. For the full post, just click here.

I finished the book "The Last Garden in England" last night and I'm so sad I'm done with it. If you love England, history and gardening you must read this. Now I'm started another Julia Kelly book called "The Last Dance of the Debutante". It has really good reviews and I order 4 more books earlier this week. What was I thinking? Who has time for books? Apparently I do and reading a physical is great in the evenings before bed. What are you reading lately?

New to Quilting (Part 6)

As promised, this is the last installment of the "Make Your First Quilt Series". Let's talk about labeling your quilt, washing and gifting.

Labels should always be on your handmade items. For me, I always forget this step or feel embarrassed to add it but do it. Especially for quilts. If you gift a quilt and for some reason it gets passed along to someone else, you should at least include your name on it. PBS had an episode on Modern Quilting that covered labels and different homemade ones. I wish I could share that show with you because I never would have thought of some of these on my own.

You can make your own using my new tutorial and add the quilt name (do you name your quilts?), your name, date and even the fabric used and pattern. This gives your quilt provenance and tells people exactly what your quilt is and who made it.

Or you can purchase all sorts of quilt labels online. Read my quilt label ideas and how to sew labels on a quilt post. It has a ton of links for purchased quilt labels in all shapes and sizes depending on your budget. Another suggestion if you know how is to embroider the information onto the back of the quilt only. You can do this even after the quilt has been washed. Most labels can be added even after it's washed.

Wash your quilt with 2 to 3 Shout Color Catcher Sheets in a washing machine. Set it to gently cycle, cold water and add your detergent. I like to do an extra rinse cycle too. The sheet go in the washing machine to catch any color that may bleed from your bright fabrics since us quilters never pre-wash our fabric.

I put my quilt directly into the dryer with a few fabric softener sheets on medium heat for about 20 to 30 minutes for a throw size or larger. Then I will turn the heat down to low to finish or even take the quilt and hang it to air dry. You can use a door in your home for this. Just put a towel over the corner of the door and top of door to cover any dust and not leave a crease. Flip it over after an hour or so.

There are special ways to fold a quilt so it will last longer, you are to fold on the diagonal. Most of us just fold it in half and then in half over and over until it's the smallest it can get. I will write a post about that soon. You can check out this vlog from Jenny over at Missouri Star Quilts in the meantime for help.

Ready for your next quilt? Check out my free Pattern Index to find your next project.

New to Quilting?

Check out my new "Learn to Quilt" page that contains all the information you need to sew a quilt from start to finish along with tutorials for each step. Print the patterns for a nice clean ad free copy so you can have it on your sewing table to refer back to.

Just remember, take breaks if you are getting tired, frustrated or are making a lot of mistakes. You can do this. Good luck and let me know if you have any questions or need help by sending me an email at nikki@sewnikki.com.

I'm Nikki, a maker obsessed with quilting, crochet, and all things fabric. Here, you'll find easy to follow patterns, helpful tutorials, and plenty of inspiration for your next handmade project. I'm here to make the process fun and stress free. Grab your fabric (or yarn), and let's create something beautiful together!

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