Incuded in the outreach service projects of the Carolina Pine Quilters is sewing pillowcases for local health care organizations.  I decided to try and learned how to make French seams, too.  I love YouTube!

Lessons learned:

• Always buy more material than you need.
• Fabrics that are listed in the same collection don't always work well together.
• Fabrics that are listed in the same collection are not all the same width, regardless of the width listed.
• Sewing pillowcases is easier than making quilt tops.
• I need a better sewing machine.

As a new member of the Carolina Pine Quilters guild, I received a kit with basic instructions on how to make my badge.  Since I am new to all things related to quilting and sewing, this was another challenge.  Paper piecing for the tree.  Cross-stitching on aida that was skewed.  Stich in the ditch around the borders.  Poking the corners out (total fail).  Hand closing the opening once I turned the badge right side out.  Whew!  Although the tree and the cross-stitch square below it are centered relative to each other, I somehow messed up when I sewed the borders on.  Since the fabric was fraying quite a bit, I had a good excuse to not rip out the seams and try again.  I went with the adage that sometimes done is better than perfect!  I'm still deciding which one of the three ribbons to pick for my neck strap.  I'm not sure, but I am leaning toward the one in the middle.

I needed to find a way to organize my sewing machine needles. The packages they come in just were not working for me, and my eyes are too old to search through the teeny numbers on the needles. I couldn't find anything online meant for needles.  However, as a former science teacher, I thought of vials.

I found these 5mL vials at a good price on Amazon, and they are the perfect size for my Singer needles.

If you are a sewer or quilter, Id love to hear how you you manage your needles.