Oct 21, 2011

On The Cheap With October Projects



What do you do when you find flannel triangles on a freecycle table?
1. Make cloth diapers for dolls
2. Make bibs for pet mice
3. Make a baby quilt that's sewn with love.



What do you do with bits of leftover patriotic fabrics tossed into the trashbin?
1. Make a cot quilt for a G.I. Joe doll.
2. Make a patriotic cover for your car's rear view mirror.
3. Make a drink wrap that's suitable for multiple occasions.




What do you do when someone gives you 3/4 of a yard of fun fabric?
1.Save it for a special project.
2.Cut it up and use it as scraps in a quilt.
3. Make a loved one (or yes, even your self) a new senior bib.




What do you do when your husband scorches too many of your best kitchen potholders?
1. Tell him that he has to use his scorched ones and nothing else.
2. Tell him he cannot no longer cook in your kitchen.
3.Use scraps leftover from a quilt and make a scrappy double potholder that hangs on the stove handle. (men seldom look around for the things they need, so he'll grab the scorched ones in the drawer ;)




What do you do when you need a gift bag for Halloween candy and don't have one on hand?
1. Go buy one at the dollar store.
2. Use a ziplock or paper bag and drawpictures on them.
3. Take a section of recycled newspaper and sew a couple of them, in just minutes!




What do you do when you go through rotary cutting blades like crazy?
1. Chock it up to the price of quilting.
2. Buy a sharpener tool and try resharpening them over and over.
3. Ask your husband to pick up some carpet cutter blades from Harbor Freight for $1.49-$1.99 a package..two in a package.

I'm on my second pkg. since mid-summer. And yes, they are just as sharp as Olfa or Fiskars, but no they don't stay as sharp for as long. But at 75 cents a piece, while I'm living on the super cheap..they work just fine for now.




What do you do when you need to just 'Put on Your Big Girl Pants' and deal with the challenges of life?
1.You put them on.
2. You deal.
3. You have a good laugh at just how strange life is sometimes!

(And yes, I sent a copy of the photo to Em... who both wears, and celebrates hers ;)


And yes...of course I also worked on my favorite things to make...tiny art quilts! I think I was working on about 10 at once this month...finished and mailed 6 in to AAQI ;) Some of the ones shown, here are giveaways and a couple I might sell to earn more rotary blade money :)

Michele Bilyeu quilts for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI) With Heart and Hands Join my friend-connect to receive my frequent updates on quilting, crafting,and updates for thousands and thousands of free patterns and tutorials..over on the right hand side.

12 comments:

Alberta said...

♥♥♥ Love ♥♥♥ this post Michele!

Celia said...

Wonderful post, and great information. Celia

West Michigan Quilter said...

Great post. The big girl pants made me giggle. Love all you do with those scraps. Very clever.

stitchinpenny said...

Love the big girl panties and I am so impressed with all you do - 6 miniquilts amazing.

Angie said...

I just ADORE you!!! :D You always bring a smile to my face (most of the time it's a belly laugh!), and you inspire me daily. Thanks bunches for the cutter blade tip! Oh, and that pot holder pattern---I was just watching Rachel Ray use one of those high-dollar towels with potholders on each end. NOW I can make me one. :)

Betty Lou said...

What a cute post----you kept me in stitches!

Clare said...

Brilliant post.

I get through so many blades and they're not cheap. Mind you, the rate I'm cutting at the moment it's not surprising.

jenclair said...

I've been reading about these blades recently. Definitely going to give them a try.

Love the big girl pants!

MARCIE said...

Where can i get some pants like that?

Lynne said...

What a great, fun post with lots of money-saving tips! Thanks, Michele.

Deborah said...

Ah, Michele!! You gave me a good giggle tonight. I just know Em loved those BGP's as much as I did. LOL
You always lift my spirits!
Thank you, my friend.
xoxoxoxo
Hugs, Deborah

Magpie Sue said...

LOL! I've never seen big girl pants that big before! Thanks for the tip about carpet cutter blades. :- )