How to make a quilted tissue pouch

So Jennifer here is a non stop machine! She just came back from market and made this tutorial on a fun project using Quilters Dream Fusion. The holidays are literally right around the corner and this would be sooooo cute for a stocking stuffer or last minute gift idea!

Supplies you will need:

• Two (2) pieces of 6” x 8” Coordinating Fabric
• One (1) piece of 6” x 8” Dream Fusion batting (available in Cotton or Poly)
• Scissors
• Thread
• Pins
• Sewing Machine
• Iron

Directions:

Place the 6” x 8” piece of Dream Fusion on your ironing board with the fusible side up (we mark the fusible side with a sticker, but you can also tell as the fusible side has a little more texture to it and a shine you can see under a light).

Place one piece of your 6” X 8” piece of fabric wrong side down – so that the backside of your fabric is touching the fusible side of the batting.

This fabric is cotton, so we used the cotton steam setting and then ironed, holding the iron down for a few seconds in all directions while ironing.  If you are using the Poly Select Dream Fusion, you can create this same steam effect by placing a piece of moist muslin on top and using the iron on a lower setting. 

**Helpful Tip**- Using the steam and having the fabric on top of the fusible side of the batting produces the best contact when bonding.  If you want to ensure your iron does not come in contact with the fusible batting, place an applique sheet or piece of parchment paper over the fabric before ironing.

Once the batting and fabric are fused, place your second 6” x 8” piece of fabric right side down on top of the piece of fabric you just fused to the batting.

Pin to your liking.  You will sew a quarter-inch (¼) seam on both short sides of the fabric (on the 6” sides). 

Press the sewn sides to seal the stitches and then turn the fabric inside out so that the right sides of the fabric are facing out. 

  Once you have turned the piece inside out, press the short sides again.

It will look like this when finished.

Now you have a choice. You can keep this the way it is or you can use this as a way to practice your free motion quilting or simply stitch straight lines until the whole piece is quilted.

Once quilted, determine which piece of fabric will be the outside of the tissue holder/handy pouch and have it facing right side up. 

Take both short sides (6” sides) and turn them upwards and meet in the middle of the fabric.  Pin the raw ends to your liking.  Sew the raw ends together using a quarter-inch (¼) seam.  Press to secure stitches.

Clip the corner tips and turn the pouch inside out.  Press seams and you’re done!!!

Use this to hold the little individual packages of tissues or post-it notes or whatever you like.  You can also turn this into a thread catcher to keep beside your sewing machine.

"Oatmeal and Brown Sugar"

We officially kicked off the 2014 Hopes and Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS this week and it has been a very special week.  When we receive your boxes we truly do get excited to see what treasures are inside.  This week, like many before, has been an extremely touching one. 

 

This is the first quilt that was sent to us for the 2014 Challenge year and it comes from a wife who lost her husband to ALS.  H.J. Martin of Concord, California donated this quilt in memory of her husband Jimmie who passed away in 2002 with ALS.

 

J.H. writes, "I hope and pray for anyone that has ALS and someday a cure for this."  And then we opened the second quilt of the new challenge year...

 

...another wife who lost a husband to ALS.  Irene Norton of Vacaville, California made this quilt in memory and honor of her first husband Richard who passed away in 2000.  Irene writes, "I have made everyone in the family a quilt except him.  So this is his."  We realized this year, the 5th Anniversary of the Hopes & Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS, is going to be different when we open the third quilt of the 2014 Challenge Year. 

 

 



The package came from Australia and when we opened it we all just took a deep breath.  This time the quilt was made and donated by a daughter who lost her Mom to ALS.   Melissa Tahu reflected on how her mother used to quilt and made she and her siblings quilts - which they continue to use today.  Her mom passed away of ALS on July 1st of this year and Melissa writes, "I feel closest to my Mum when I'm wrapped up in one of her quilts, and I hope that you find the same love and comfort under this quilt, this gift from me to you."

We confess.  These stories have moistened our eyes and tugged our hearts.

And then came "Oatmeal and Brown Sugar."

Trying to describe the overwhelming love that accompanies these quilts is nearly impossible.  The above taupe and brown and ivory quilt was sent to us by Edith Huffman in West Columbia, Texas.  It's best that we let Edith explain this quilt:

"When I joined the local quilt guild I right away noticed a funny lady that always sat in the front row and lit up the room with her participation. Celeste and I soon became friends and then neighbors!

We shared quilting and gardening ideas. I have a thriving shrub out my window, one she suggested. As roommates at quilt retreats, we'd lay awake at night and tell stories about our children and grandchildren. We watched mine being born and hers growing into young adults.

Then she had a "back injury" that lead to foot drop, then the diagnosis of ALS. I remember her coming home from the doctor visit trying to be brave and keeping smiling. "It's time to clean out this house," she said. First the attic, then the closets, labeling and distributing her memories to family members.

She finished quilts then started cleaning out "The Stitchery." She signed books over to me and had me divide fabric between quilting friends. Then she gave me a quilt top. The quilt became 'Oatmeal and Brown Sugar'. Oatmeal, because as her husband said, "She was so conservative with color." The brown sugar, because I will remember her as warm and sweet.

  

Celeste never saw the quilt completed, but she had consented for it to be donated to ALS, from Celeste and her friend Edith.  God Bless, enjoy the quilt, and try to be brave."

American Science Fiction Writer Robert Heinlein wrote, "Love is the condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own."  What boxes of love we have opened and are so blessed to be able to open in the coming weeks and months ahead.

Your Grateful Hopes & Dreams Coordinator

 

Hopes & Dreams at 2013 Houston Quilt Festival

Between last weekends 2013 Houston Quilt Market, where hundreds of fabric companies, batting companies, pattern designers and notion makers come together to introduce their new products to Quilt Shops and professional Longarmers across the country, and this weekends 2013 Houston Quilt Festival that is open to the public to purchase quilting related products, there will be over 50,000 people passing through the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas.

The Hopes & Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS was gifted with seven booth spaces - 70 feet - of display space to share with everyone the purpose of Hopes & Dreams and the talent and artistry of the many gifted quilters that have so graciously donated their works of art to raise awareness and funds for ALS Research.

 

 

These ladies have the art of hanging a quilt show down to a science.  They are called the "Piece Corps" and painstakingly document the condition of each quilt that is sent to be displayed.

 

To them each quilt is a piece of rare fine art.  They look at the quilt hanging sleeves, the backing...

 

...each label and then open each quilt to observe the quilt top.

Once each quilt is reviewed and documented, they are placed on sheets on the floor prior to hanging the exhibit.

 

Hanging each quilt is just as elaborate because these ladies care.  They know how hard each quilter works on their finished quilt and they take the extra time to make sure that each quilt is handled with love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were unable to stay for the entire setup as we had to catch our flight back to Virginia Beach, Virginia.  If anyone reading this is in Texas and is planning on a visit to Quilt Festival this weekend – we would love it if you could snap a quick picture of the final setup and send back to us at Quilters Dream Batting.

 

 

 

Each quilt on exhibit is for sale.  If you see one here in this blog post that you are interested in purchasing, call us toll-free at (888) 268-8664 and we will be glad to work out details.  100% of the purchase of all Hopes & Dreams Quilts goes to ALS Research.

 

 

Remember when you are shopping for the holidays that a Hopes & Dreams Quilt makes the perfect gift.  We are adding quilts to our Hopes & Dreams Storenvy site and if you purchase a quilt as a gift we will gift wrap the quilt, sign a card from you with a special message inside, and ship to the recipient!   

Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for your time, talents and treasures in warming the lap and life of an ALS patient and for helping us find a cure for ALS – one quilt at a time!

 

Your Grateful Hopes & Dreams Coordinator

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Houston Quilt Market Scavenger Hunt

***This contest is now closed****

Hey there to all our Instagram followers attending Houston Quilt Market.... want a chance to win free batting?? It's simple.

1. During market search for Neva (hint: booth 951 or any booth with shiny baubles for sale! HAHA)

2. Snap a photo with her!

3. Upload it to your Instagram page using the hastag #findingneva

 (Must use hashtag to be entered)

At the end of market we will select a random winner and send them a box of Quilters Dream!

 Happy Hunting! Have FUN!

Get the Instagram app on your smartphone today and follow us to see what we are up to!

Sew Popular Voting and on the way to Houston!

The voting is underway for the 2013 Hopes & Dreams SEW POPULAR contest.  There are eleven quilts that have been selected for the SEW POPULAR contest.  The winner is the quilt that receives the most votes.  How do you vote?  Click on the photo of the quilt that you like and then post a comment saying that you like the quilt and cast your vote for that quilt.  The voting will end Tuesday evening October 22 and the winner will be announced Wednesday, October 23.  Click on the picture of the quilt below and it will take you to the Hopes & Dreams Facebook page where you can view all eleven quilt photos and cast your vote!

Click on the photo above to be taken directly to the 2013 Hopes & Dreams SEW POPULAR category voting.


This week is a busy one for us at Quilters Dream Batting.  We are finalizing all the plans for the 2013 Houston International Quilt Market.





The Houston Quilt Market is Saturday, October 26 through Monday, October 28.  We would love to meet as many of you as possible during our stay in Houston.  Stop by and visit us at booth 951.

 

 

Packing for the 2013 Houston International Quilt Market & Quilt Festival



Lots of boxes have been packed and are headed to Houston, including this box.  We are thrilled that Quilts, Inc., the event management company that hosts the Houston International Quilt Market, asked Quilter Dream if we would like to showcase the Hopes & Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS with a seven (7) booth display during the Houston International Quilt Festival, October 31st - November 3rd.  

Quilters Dream Batting owner Kathy Thompson preparing the written descriptions of the Hopes & Dreams Quilts
that will be on display at the 2013 Houston International Quilt Festival October 31 - November 3.

There are a total of nine (9) quilts that will be a part of Houston International Quilt Festival.  We set up the exhibit a week from Tuesday and will make sure you get a front row seat in our next blog post.  We hope you have a terrific week and we look forward to meeting many of you in Houston.

Your grateful Hopes & Dreams Coordinator.