Fun Facts About Spiders with Craft Round-Up

 

Last week I shared a fun book for the summer about riding a dragonfly and included fun facts about dragonflies as well as a craft round-up. I have two books to share soon about spiders and thought I would do the fun facts and craft round-up first and then share the books over the next week or so. With one book the dragonfly post got rather long, so I wanted to do this as three posts. The first book is shared!! The second book is shared!

The Unwelcome Surprise -- fun new picture book about welcoming a new baby to the house

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Today we are sharing our final of four newly released picture books. They were all released on Tuesday. Today's book shares a dog's point of view to a new surprise in the house. The book is The Unwelcome Surprise by Olga Herrera. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.

The Three Little Guinea Pigs -- A Fun and Creative Twist on a Classic Tale

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Now in my house we love fairy tales. We have done so much with them from our Fairy Tales in Different Cultures Series to crafts and more about different ones including The Three Little Pigs. We have "built" and crafted the pigs' houses several times. We used to also play a game of Three Little Pigs in bed in the morning when I needed some more rest and Hazel was up. We would put the covers over our heads, and I would voice the Big Bad Wolf and pretend one of the cats was the wolf. Hazel would say "Not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin." We would basically tell the story under the covers. We would be in giggles by the end though. Today I get to share a new twist on The Three Little Pigs. The book is called The Three Little Guinea Pigs by Erica S. Perl and illustrated by Amy Young. The book is recommended for ages 4 to 8. Plus we have a craft round-up to go with this book!

Needles the Forgotten Christmas Tree

 

Disclosure: I was sent a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am working with The Children's Book Review and Foreword Publicity and will receive a small stipend for this post. 

What kind of Christmas tree do you have? Is it real or fake? How big is it? Christmas trees are something I have been discussing this year with my sisters since we spend the holidays at our house on Cape Cod and none of us actually live there. My sister decided to get and decorate a tree there again this year since she plans to spend New Year's there as well. To learn more about the history of Christmas trees be sure to check out this post and to learn about our tree traditions read here. Today I am going to share a wonderful picture book about the small Christmas tree that feels forgotten. The book is Needles, the Forgotten Christmas Tree by Richard Wagner and illustrated by Sydni Kruger. This book is being released in March of 2023 so it will be for next Christmas! I am including a round-up of Christmas tree crafts and there is a giveaway at the end!

Happy Thanksgiving!! Time to Express Gratitude

 

In the United States, today is Thanksgiving. Although I have become extremely busy in my nonblog life, I wanted to take time to talk about what I am thankful for this year. I will admit it has been a year full of frustration, sadness as well as growth and happiness. The past couple of months have been very hard on my family. 

Unicorns & Other Mythical Creatures

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Unicorns, dragons, and other mythical beasts have been the center of attention for many people. I know most girls go through some unicorn phase and some never grow out of it. Today I am going to share with you a picture book based on the unicorn tapestries and a fun fact book about mythical beasts. I am also sharing a unicorn craft round-up to go with these fun books! We will start with The Lady and the Unicorn by Béatrice Fontanel and Vanessa Hié. It is recommended for ages 8 to 12.

Fall Crafts Capturing the Beauty of Autumn Leaves

 

Last week I shared some autumn crafts including leaf embroidery. I promised another fall craft if it worked and it mostly did. So today I am sharing how to make a leaf bowl. Now I saw photographs all over the place like this one for inspiration. I went outside and picked some beautiful fall leaves. Then I wiped them and let them dry for a few hours. I gathered a plastic cup, a balloon, a paintbrush, and my ModPodge. When I was ready I blew up the balloon and put it in the plastic cup. The cup works as a stand so you do not have to hold the balloon in place. Put the knotted side down into the cup. Then I spread some ModPodge on my first leaf and stuck it on to the balloon. I then spread more ModPodge on the other side of the leaf to get it really stuck. I continued doing this trying to overlap the leaves.

Losing a Beloved Pet -- RIP Pumpkin Girl

 

Today my heart is heavy and my home is a bit emptier. Last night Steve and I had to make the difficult decision to put our sweet Pumpkin girl down. We noticed she was losing weight and not eating or drinking water like she usually did. She also had changed her spot to spend most of the day. She wasn't being her normal self. I moved her vet appointment up a week because we were growing increasingly worried. She was due for a well visit next week. When our vet saw her she knew something was wrong. After a quick examination she told us she needed to get an x-ray, bloodwork and some liquids into her. She was very dehydrated. She asked us to give her about 20 minutes. We sat on the porch of the vet clinic and waited. When she got all the results she called us in and brought Pumpkin to us. She was fighting tears as she told us that Pumpkin definitely had cancer. She had liquid in her chest and abdomen. We had two options. Take her to a vet hospital ER and let them try to remove the liquid and start chemotherapy or put her down. We couldn't imagine having our sweet Pumpkin girl spend nights in a cage away from us while the poked and examined her, so our decision was clear. It broke our hearts to say goodbye. 

Fun Facts about Quilting with Quilt Book Round-Up

 

Disclosure: I sent digital copies of these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I will receive a small percentage of purchases made through the links provided at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Crafty Moms Share. 

I love making quilts. However I do it rather slowly most of the time. I have had four quilt books that I haven't shared with you sitting in my review folder and to be honest I haven't been motivated to start any of the quilts. I picked out quilts to make in each one but didn't have a bed or person to make them for and just didn't have the time to do them without the motivation of a reason. I also have had a lot of family things going on and am hoping to start making a classic double wedding ring for my own bed. So with all of that I thought I would do a quilt book round-up with fun facts about quilting first.

Fun Facts about Quilting

1. The word quilt comes from the Latin word culcita which means mattress or cushion. The English word was first used around 1250.
2. Quilting as we know it, where stuffing goes between two layers of fabric, started in France.
3. Rudimentary quilting dates back to China around 3000 B.C. Their ancient warriors quilted chest protectors together.
4. Ancient Egyptians quilted clothing.
5. The world’s oldest quilt in existence is the Tristan Quilt. It is in the Victoria and Albert Museum. It is believed it was made between 1360 and 1400.



Tristan Quilt by Unknown 1395, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons




6. Early American quilts were made by the English and Dutch settlers. They used them to keep warm at night while sleeping but also to keep out drafts from doors and windows.
7. The world’s largest quilt is the AIDS Memorial Quilt. It weighs 54 tons and spans 1.2 million square feet. In 1987 it contained 1,920 panels commemorating people who died of AIDS. Now there are 48,000 panels. Most blocks are rectangles measuring 6 feet by 3 feet or roughly the size of a grave.



AIDS Memorial Quilt Photo by National Institutes of Health, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons




8. The largest patchwork quilt measures 270,174 square feet. It is called Manta da Cultura (Patchwork for Culture) and was made in 2000 by Realizar Eventors Especialis in Portugal.
9. The world’s largest historical quilt is in Antler, North Dakota. It depicts the state as a colorful map. It is 11,390 square feet.
10. In 2020 the U.S. had approximately 21 million quilters. They had an average age of 63.
11. Paducah, Kentucky calls itself the quilting capital of the world. It is home to The National Quilt Museum.
12. A summer quilt is a quilt that does not have the stuffing.
13. During the 1800s there was a custom for a girl to make a baker’s dozen of quilt tops before she engaged. 12 were utility quilts and one was a masterpiece for her bridal bed. After her engagement she would complete the tops into quilts.
14. A mother would often make several quilts for her children for when they left their childhood home and became adults.
15. In the mid 1800s the introduction of the sewing machine changed how quilt tops were pieced. However even with the invention of a separate quilting attachment hand quilting was still favored for another century.
16. The US postal service has featured quilts from Gee’s Bend, Amish and folk art on its stamps.
17. It is said the most famous quilts in America are the Gee’s Bend Quilts. 



Gee's Bend Quilting Bee photo by Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons




18. Quilting bees originated in the Midwest US during the 1800s . There was a need for socializing due to lack of neighbors. It drew women together to finish quilts and make new friends.
19. The most expensive quilt ever sold was a Civil War-era piece purchased for $254,000 in 1991.
20. Dedicated quilters are defined as those who spend more than $500/year on quilting buy on average 99 yards of fabric a year which is almost enough for an entire football field. Dedicated quilters usually spend $3,363 on quilting supplies each year. They spend almost 8 hours a week on-line visiting quilting sites and groups centered on quilting techniques, supplies and news.
21. Beginner quilters spend 6.9 hours quilting a week on average. Advanced quilters spend around 17.6 hours.
22. The average quilter in 2020 is a retired woman in her 60s and she owns four different sewing machines.
23. Quilters answering a survey say they quilt to relax, relieve stress, be creative, and connect with family and friends through gift-giving.

Sources:

• 24 Blocks. “Fun Facts About the Wide and Wonderful World of Quilting.” https://24blocks.com/cs-quilting-facts/
• Glassenberg, Abby. Craft Industry Alliance. “Quilting Trends Survey Results 2020.” (19 Jun 2020) https://craftindustryalliance.org/quilting-trends-survey-results-2020/
• Guinness World Records. “Largest Patchwork Quilt.” https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-patchwork-quilt
• Mathew, Kathy. Chicago Now. “12 Fun Facts About Quilting.” (26 Mar 2014) https://www.chicagonow.com/quilting-sewing-creating/2014/03/12-fun-facts-about-quilting/
• Quilting in America. “History of Quilts.” https://www.quilting-in-america.com/History-of-Quilts.html
• Smithsonian Magazine. “You Can Now Explore All 48,000 Panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt Online.” https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/aids-memorial-quilt-now-online-180975370/

Now onto our books. Since my mother gave me many different size strips, I wanted to look at various strip quilts including jelly roll ones. A jelly roll is usually 40 2.5-inch strips of coordinating fabrics. Three out of the four books I am sharing involve strips. The first is Love of Jelly Roll Quilts by Love Patchwork & Quilting. 

From the Publisher: 

Tantalizing, tasty, sweet . . . sew up something good enough to eat!

From the pages of Love Patchwork & Quilting and Today’s Quilter comes a delicious collection of 13 bright, bold quilts that feature the perennially popular jelly roll strips. Strip piecing, basketweave, pinwheels, appliqué, and more—use 2 1/2-inch pre-cut fabric strips in exciting and unexpected ways. Whip up quilts in a range of project sizes and complexity, including a suite of baby projects, a pillow, wall hangings, and bed quilts. Top designers like Susan Briscoe and Jo Avery are featured. Finally, get the best from the pages of the UK’s most popular quilting magazines!

• Jelly rock-’n’-roll! This project-stuffed book is an easy and affordable way to own stylish patterns from the best-selling modern quilting magazines in the United Kingdom.
• Piece thirteen projects from 2 ½” precut strips, ranging from bed-size beauties to quick-sew projects
• Take strip-piecing a step further with innovative techniques and tons of variety

From Me:

This book gives thirteen different projects that range from bed quilts to nursery quilts and accessories. Some are twists on more traditional patterns and others are a bit more modern. Of course any can be made more modern depending on the fabric one chooses. 

I love that the quilt has many strip quilts as well as ones where the jelly roll strips are cut into squares or triangles to make more complex designs. I also love that there are the baby quilt, matching pillow, and a comforter (which Hazel would have loved as a baby). There are some fun projects in this book.

Our next book is String Frenzy by Bonnie K Hunter. 

From the Publisher:

Once you go scrappy, there’s no turning back!

Are you buried in scraps—big pieces, small pieces, hunks, chunks, strips, and parts? Bonnie K. Hunter fans will love her newest book of playful string-quilt projects! Sew a dozen vibrant quilt patterns using the small leftovers from other projects that seem too tiny to save, yet too big to toss. Learn Bonnie’s basics for foundation piecing narrow fabric pieces 3/4” to 2” wide, turning them into dazzling scrappy blocks and one-of-a-kind quilts.

• Have a string piecing party with a best-selling author, the great Bonnie K. Hunter
• Love your leftovers! Become a scrap quilt addict, sewing fabric strings and crumbs into brand new blocks
• Hunter fans will love this offering of twelve “use it all” patterns in her signature style

From Me:

This book has twelve quilts to make. Bonnie uses foundation paper when piecing the blocks. This will make points more clear but also take longer. The creativity in the styles however is amazing. There is even a pumpkin patch one. Most of the quilts use random sizes of strips and not the 2.5-inches of a jelly roll, so these are good patterns to use on scraps or some of the strips my mother gave me. She gave me ones that range from about 1-inch to 6-inches. 

There is a huge variety of styles of quilts in this book and the instructions are easy to follow. Bonnie is very creative with the quilt patterns combining a bit of modern and traditional styles. 

Our next book is Strip Quilt Secrets by Diane D. Knott.

From the Publisher:

Transform fabric strips into unique and interesting quilts

Get ready for some of the best-kept secrets in strip quilting! You’ll start with the basics of cutting, storing, and piecing fabric strips from 1½” to 3½” wide. Explore five techniques to make strip-pieced rows, triangles, and more advanced blocks. Then make the most of your stash by turning precut strips, sliced yardage, and even selvages into fifteen innovative strip-quilt projects. Customize the look of each quilt with blank coloring pages, laying the foundation to design your own strip quilts.

• Sew fifteen quilt projects from fabric strips, in every look from planned to scrap-tastic
• Bust your stash and your scraps! Use extra-wide strips, skinny selvages, precuts, and yardage to sew innovative designs
• Start with easy strip sets, advancing to triangles and interesting layouts that might surprise you

From Me: 

This book has different techniques and is divided up by those techniques. There are strip sets, triangles from strips, resewing strips, individual strips and more. There are a total of fifteen projects in this book, and there is a lot of variety from traditional to modern quilts. She uses different size strips and even has some with the selvages. In the beginning of the book Diane shares about her strip collection and how she creates the strips. 

The quilts in this book range for scrap quilts to well planned color wise quilts. Some of the quilts use a fabric foundation piece but others are just piecing the strips. The instructions are very clear and there are great pictures also to help.

Our final book is a nod to my former life as a geometry teacher. I a tend to love to check out books about optical illusion quilts and 3-D quilts. I believe it is because I taught about them in geometry classes for so many years. It is Stunning 3-D Quilts Simplified by Ruth Ann Berry.

From the Publisher:

Sew three-dimensional quilt illusions

Create a stunning quilt that will have your friends asking, “How did you do that?” Believe it or not, these attention-grabbing projects come together with straight rows of simple shapes. You’ll learn how to sew 12 visually arresting quilts each in 4 colorways giving you dozens of dynamic options. Build your confidence in bias piecing, as you pair light, medium, and dark fabrics for heavenly hexes. Don’t be intimidated—just follow the easy assembly diagrams and watch your quilt come together one row at a time with no inset seams. These 3-D illusions are so impressive, you won’t know whether to keep them on the bed or hang them on the wall.

• Sew 3-D illusion quilts that have your friends asking how you did it
• Arrange 60-degree triangles in rows for easy piecing with no inset seams
• Build your confidence in bias piecing, mixing color values for dimensional effects

From Me:

Most of the patterns in this book offer different sizes however almost all of them are at least a twin size. They are big. I wasn't sure I was ready to make such a big 3-D quilt design which is why I haven't made one of them yet. The book provides the pattern in one set of colors however shows color alternatives at the end of each quilt instruction. Again there is a huge variety with the quilts. They all tend to be pretty modern but some are busier than others. Most of these quilts are made with more solid-ish fabrics and the designs on the fabric help with the shading and thus giving the 3-D look.

The patterns are fun and the color choices really make the quilts pop. I love that they give some color inspiration for each quilt. There is also a table runner which I may play with soon. The book provides a "graph" of each quilt as well so color can be explored a bit. 

So I hope you will get quilting and check out these books. Did you know September is National Sewing Month? It is the perfect time to start a new quilt project! Will you join me? Be sure to check all of my quilt posts for even more inspiration!

Origami Bible Stories for Kids Kit -- a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this kit in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Well school has started here and Mother Nature has turned the switch to fall weather. But after a few weeks off from Crafty Weekends we are back!! Today I am sharing a fun origami kit perfect for Sunday School and Bible lessons for kids. It is Origami Bible Stories for Kids Kit by Andrew Dewar. 

Harry Potter Birthday Party

I took a bit of a break for the holidays. Christmas is often the only time we get to spend with one of my sisters and her son and then Hazel's birthday hits us. It is always a busy time and I decided to focus on family. It was wonderful. 

Magical Forest Fairy Crafts Through the Seasons -- a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: I was given this ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Are you getting ready for the holidays? We are and are loving it. Today I am sharing a fun book for kid crafters or for adults to make crafts for or with kids. This book reminds me of our Waldorf days perhaps because they always had their first Forest Fairy book on sale at the holiday fair at the Waldorf School. Afterall fairies are part of the magic of Waldorf. The book is Magical Forest Fairy Crafts Through the Seasons by Lenka Vodicka-Paredes and Asia Currie. 

Holiday Wreaths & Ornaments with Supplies from Dollar Tree -- a Crafty Weekends Link Party

Disclosure: I was compensated for this post. This post also contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

I have been in such a holiday mood. I don't really like Halloween, so I think I have been trying to skip over it and get to Thanksgiving and Christmas. Plus the amazing Christmas products at Thirty-One are only available in October and November so I have been trying to let people know about them and am planning a holiday shopping party in the beginning of November. I was thinking it would be fun to have some door prizes and just prizes to make the party more of a celebration. What better prizes than homemade ones and I made some with supplies from Dollar Tree. I made two wreaths and some different ornaments.

Sharing Saturday 18-31

We are back to weekly Sharing Saturdays!! It is time for Sharing Saturday!! This is a link party to share all of your child-oriented crafts, crafts made for kids, activities and lessons as well as your parenting and/or teaching posts. So glad you joined us!!

On Sunday night we also host Crafty Weekends for all your crafts (done by any age), patterns, and craft product reviews! It is the perfect place to share your creative side!! And if you have any cultural or diverse posts be sure to share them over at Multicultural Kid Blogs Creative Kids Culture Blog Hop. 

Crafty Weekends Link Party

It is time to see what you have been creating! This week I am skipping sharing a craft or reviewing a craft book since I have a cold and know I won't be able to write a good post. So onto seeing your features and crafts!! Thank you to everyone who shared with us at our last party. It was a fun party with lots of creativity shared! There were many autumn crafts shared last week!! Below are a few of the features from our last party, but be sure to go back and check out the many great crafts shared! Please remember for your child-oriented crafts, activities, lessons, etc. Sharing Saturday is going on!! We are back to weekly Sharing Saturdays now!! be sure to stop by and share your kid-oriented activities!! And if you have cultural posts be sure to share them at Creative Kids Culture Blog Hop this month!  I can't wait to see what your latest creations!!

Autumn Crafts with Dollar Tree Supplies -- a Crafty Weekends Craft and Link Party

Disclosure: I will receive a small percentage from any purchases made from the Dollar Tree links. All opinions are my own!

This week I am sharing some easy fall crafts with supplies from Dollar Tree. They had some cute autumn ribbons. I chose a plaid. I also got a burlap ribbon spool and one of the adorable fall owls. I also used a 10-inch Styrafoam wreath form. I wrapped it with burlap ribbon and used a pin to hold it. Then I tied a bow with the plaid ribbon and hot glued the owl and a decorative pick (I bought elsewhere) onto it. I attached a loop of twine as well to hang it. I am going to give it to my parents to hang on their door of their new condo.

Joyful Stitching - a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: C&T Publishing gave me this ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I will receive a small stipend for purchases made through the links in this post. Thank you for supporting Crafty Moms Share!

Did you know that September is National Sewing Month? Last week we shared a wonderful resource for any sewer. Today we are looking at a different type of stitching--embroidery. The book today is Joyful Stitching by Laura Wasilowski.

The Sewing Book -- a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party #NationalSewingMonth

Disclosure: DK Publishing sent me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links where I will receive a small portion of any purchases made through them. Thank you for supporting Crafty Moms Share!

Did you know that September is National Sewing Month? For free sewing projects be sure to check out NationalSewingMonth.org. It only seems right to share an amazing sewing resource with you in September. I am going to share a book that is amazing for the beginner sewer or for people who want to improve their sewing skills like myself. It is the new edition of The Sewing Book by Alison Smith. 

Paper Crafts and Embroidery Maker's Guides from Victoria and Albert Museum - a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: Thames & Hudson sent me these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

When you go to a musuem do you ever wonder how things are made? The Victoria and Albert Museum have put out A Maker's Guide Series. I shared with you the Patchwork and Quilting book back in July. Today I am sharing the other two books. I am going to start with Embroidery: A Maker's Guide by the Victoria and Albert Museum. 

Fun Facts about Cats for World Cat Day

Did you know today (August 8th) is World Cat Day? To honor our furry friends (we have two) I am sharing some fun facts about cats. There are so many interesting things about cats out there so I divided them up into categories: General Facts, Cats in History and Around the World, Cat Records and Cats versus Dogs. 

Fluffy Napping with Hazel and Steve