LaRueSews-Quilts-Beads are Fun Too, a 30 minute project

Hi there EveryBuddy.  Three weeks has come and gone, again. Blogging time is here.  I hope that all of you have been diligently making the last block I gave you in LaRueSews BOM.  This time it will be a quick one, both BLOG and block. Wink

I have been out of town for a few days.  We went to Nashville.  My daughter and her family live there.  We went to watch our two granddaughters in their marching band.  The older one, Lauren plays the French horn and the younger one, Holly, plays the Alto sax.  They really looked great in their uniforms and sounded wonderful too.  There was also a concert with their community concert band In Mt. Juliet, TN.  It’s really enjoyable when adults combine their efforts and keep their music skills “in tune.”  The concert was to benefit the Mt. Juliet High School Band Boosters. The whole thing was really great, but it put me in a time crunch for writing this blog.

I’d like to bring you a really quickie little project that makes a pretty and unique gift for someone.  It is EASY.

beads

Necklace recipe:
Ingredients:

  • 1 Small strip of multi-color fabric, about 2 ½ inches by width of fabric. (measure the circumference of the marbles and add seam allowance)
  • About 12 to 14 marbles, 1 1/4 inch circumference
  • About 15 beads, hole must be large enough to thread your fabric tube.

Measure the circumference of your marbles, add ½ inch for seam allowance.  Cut the fabric strip.  My strip was 2 1/4" by width of fabric.  Sew 1/4" seam the length of the strip, making a long tube.  (Stitch twice to reinforce)  Trim strip to 1/8", or smallest you can handle.  Turn tube to right side.  Be sure your tube isn’t too tight to insert marbles, and the holes in beads are large enough for fabric tube.  (I don’t do beading, so I am not exact on measurements, you just need to experiment, like I did.)  Trim ends of strips to a long angle. 

The next step is to insert marbles and add beads.  Put a marble inside the tube and push it to the center.  Thread a bead and push it next to the marble.  Continue, marble bead, marble bead, until you have your desired bead length, add as many marbles and beads as you like.  You can work from both ends.  I finished the ends of the necklace by folding in thirds and stitching by machine, to make the tube smaller for ties.

Here are three photos.  One is a necklace with unfinished ties, the second is a necklace with ties sewn, and the last is a necklace of Christmas fabric that is started, to show the slanted, cut ends of the tube and the insertion of a marble.

beads

beads

beads

Our next BOM quilt block is the Snowball block.  It is a very simple block.  It can be combined with other blocks in pattern, and it can be used as a focal block for Fussy Cutting to feature a fabric.  Later on, I will use this block to show you an applique technique.

block

 block

 

As I said in the beginning of this Block of the Month, I am giving you the patterns with very little instruction.  Just be sure that each of your blocks measure 12 ½ inches, each.  In the finished quilt, each block will measure 12 inches, because of the construction of the quilt.

You can still begin this BOM and work along with us.  Go back in my archives, Blog-Your Wish is My Command and follow along with the instructions.  If my count is correct. We now have about twenty people in the group.  Or, if you wish, you may go to the tags at the bottom of this page, and click on Block of The Month. the previous blocks and BLOGS are there.

Last year about this time, I told you about a quilt that I planned to start.  Of course, it is applique.  I have five blocks almost finished or in progress. This photo shows the first block in this quilt.  I’ll show more when I get them finished.

applique quilt

Since my time is running short, I’ll just say “So long for Now” and “Make Something Quilted This Week”.  See y'all next time.

Stitches to you,
LaRue

Comments (5) -

That necklace is a neat idea, thank you.  Love the covered wagon!


I'm still here LaRue, that block is absolutely gorgeous.


It has given me the incentive to go to my fabric store TODAY to get the applique fabric for that Baltimore Quilt I told you about on that site here in Oz. We now have all the blocks and border designs and awaiting the instructions.


Vada


Sherry


I can't take credit for the necklace.  A friend was wearing one and I copied it.  Glad you like it.


I love the covered wagon too.  I think tha't what attracted me most to this quilt. That is the center block in a quilt I think it's called Not Anywhere Near Baltimore, A Prarie Version.  Not sure of the correct title.


Vada,


I'm glad to hear you are getting serious about your BAQ


Thank you both for the complments and the comments.


Stitches . .


LaRue


I bet I still have one the necklaces from when this was a fashion statement WAY back in the dark ages...won't give too much of my age away...I thought they were neat then, will be glad to get to wear them again.  Thanks for showing the youngsters how to do them.  ;>) MS


thecomputerist 11/9/2009 1:01:58 PM

I remember those necklaces, and they are fun, easy and great to wear.


Thanks for bringing back a great item!


Pat


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