Sleeping Porch Pillow

I recently had the pleasure of working with Heather Ross's latest line, Sleeping Porch.  This line is cotton lawn, something I haven't had very much experience working with.  Lucky me, it was a dream to sew up.  It sews as easily as quilting cotton and is oh so incredibly soft.  

I started a quilt with this bundle, but the quilt is on hold while I decide how to back it.  The scraps were begging to be sewn up into a pillow in the meantime though.  I used 3.5 inch squares surrounded by 2 inch strips (unfinished measurements).  

The strawberry fabric in the last picture is not part of this line, but is a (hoarded, cough cough) print from her Briar Rose line.  It matches this line perfectly though and so I used a little strip to back the pillow.  

I finished up this pillow and sent it to a friend on the other coast where I am sure it is being enjoyed.  Yay for quilty gifts and for turning scraps into something beautiful. 

First Blush Blog Tour (and a Giveaway!)

Today is my stop on the First Blush Blog Tour.  First Blush by Ruby Red Designs will be in stores next month.  These fabrics have a summery and vintage-sheet vibe.  I really needed another project bag for my hand-sewing projects and I thought these prints would be perfect for a quick and cheerful project. 

I kept the design simple and used only a few different prints from the line.  On the outside, I used wide strips of some of the blue and green prints.  

I used two of the yellow prints to line the interior, and a light blue floral to add a pocket for storing smaller objects inside the roomy pouch.  I quilted diagonal lines using aurifil thread. 

This was an extremely satisfying make: cheerful fabrics, relatively quick, and an oh-so-useful finished project.  If you're on my Christmas gift list, chances are you'll be getting one of these bags.

Now for a giveaway.  Windham Fabrics is generously giving away a full fat quarter bundle  of First Blush, and a small box of coordinating Aurifil thread!  Just leave a comment on this post by midnight on October 27th and I'll randomly choose a winner on October 28th. 

For more chances to win, visit each stop of the blog hop: 

October 10 – Made by Chrissie D
October 11 – Sinta at Pink Pincushion
October 12 –  Fat Quarter Shop
October 13- Windham/Two Blondes and a Sewing Machine
October 14- Jennie at Clover and Violet
October 15- Aurifil- Erin Sampson
October 16- Tina Egner
October 17 – Pretty By Hand
October 18 – Allison Harris
October 19 – Erin Cox
October 20 – Angie Wilson Gnome Angel
October 21 – Debbie at happy little cottage
October 22 – Heidi Staples
October 23 – Leanne Elliott
October 24- Greg Jones Grey Dogwood Studio
October 25- Wendy Sheppard Ivory Spring
October 26 – Creative Reveries (you are here!)
October 27 – Lisa Ruble

Good luck and happy quilting!

Alison Glass Kaleidoscope Pillow

I have a large box full of half-finished or barely-even-started projects that I am determined to empty out in one way or another.  I started this block 75 weeks ago according to Instagram.  This month I finished it, turned it into a pillow, and gave it to a good friend for her birthday.  Now it sits happily on her couch instead of in a dark box somewhere. Yay for finishing stuff!

Pattern: Spring Kaleidoscope Paper Piecing Pattern by Charise Creates for Sew Mama Sew
Fabrics: Alison Glass prints with assorted low volumes

October

Happy Fall.  After what seemed like a summer that would never end, the weather finally cooled down and there's that familiar crispness in the air stirring all kinds of warm memories of sweater and cider season.  The leaves seemed to turn colors overnight.  I think we were all ready for the season to change. 

Pictured are Halloween projects I made last year.  The first two were gifts for Amber (simplelovemade on Instagram) at last year's Swapaholics Retreat.  The last pillow is one I made for myself using some of Dinara Mirtalipova's lovely Mischief Night fabric collection.  I used a smaller scale of my favorite quilt block, the rocky mountain puzzle block.  I still have scraps leftover from this project and am itching to make another pillow before the time it's no longer acceptable to put Halloween decorations out arrives. When exactly is that?  Halloween itself?  Oh wish me luck. 

Lucky by Lotta (and On Being Lucky)

I was given the opportunity to create something with Lotta Jansdotter's new line, Lucky (yes, yes, I know I am extremely lucky).  These vibrant colors and patterns are right up my alley. I love the jewel tones and those big prints.  I'm not normally an animal-on-my-fabric kind of quilter, but...check out those cats!  

While I think the individual prints are great on their own, I feel like they really sing when they are all next to each other.  So I decided to make a patchwork bag with my Lucky bundle.

I find that I am always in need of a drawstring bag.  Whether to carry my sewing projects on the go, or corral little kid toys or other everyday items, there is always a use for a drawstring bag.  For this project, I used the tutorial by s.o.t.a.k. handmade.  This is the third time I have made a bag with her tutorial.  I used 3 inch squares (2.5 inches finished) and adjusted the lining measurements just a tad to fit the outer panels.  I also used a slightly wider casing for the ribbon (I reused the ribbon from my fabric bundle for this project!).  I highly recommend her tutorial if you haven't already given it a try. I am thrilled with the results. 

Now, on being lucky.  Until recently, I never considered myself a lucky person.  I can count on one hand the number of times I've won something, and I still have a few fingers left.  No, until recently, I have not considered myself lucky at all.  But lately I've started to realize something.  Luck, and maybe happiness, may just be a matter of perspective.  I have a roof over my head, food to eat, healthy and happy children, a creative passion, and good people in my life.  That is only the beginning.   When I think of those things, I realize I am lucky indeed. 

Giveaway!!!  Thanks to the generosity of Windham Fabrics, one lucky person will receive a complete fat quarter bundle of Lucky by Lotta Jansdotter.  To enter, leave a comment here telling me why you are lucky.  Good luck!  
  

Thank you, friends, for stopping by.  

Ho Ho Ho Pillow

A friend recently asked for a Christmas patchwork pillow.  She leans towards more modern and bright Christmas fabrics - think red and aqua and pink and green.  I immediately thought of the "Read Between the Lines" patchwork pillow by Kelly Lautenbach in the book, "Pretty in Patchwork: Holidays." I also had the perfect fabrics to work with...

Shirt & Tie By Another Point of View for Windham Fabrics

Palette by Marcia Derse for Windham Fabrics

Just look at all those gorgeous colors!  Are these not the perfect stash builders or what?  I pulled the reds, pinks, aquas, and light greens from these two collections for this project and the result was this:

As you can see, I didn't stray too far from the original.  I paired the fabrics with linen and some red accent buttons.

Is it just me, or do those prints in the Shirt & Tie collection look like little snowflakes?  They do when paired with "Ho Ho Ho" anyway.

I am really happy with how this project turned out and hope my friend is as well.  I'm also really excited to have the Palette and Shirt & Tie fabrics in my collection so I can use them in many more projects to come.

If you'd like to make your own "Read Between the Lines Pillow," the pattern is available for free here.  I also recommend the book as well!  Available here.

No-Sew Christmas Wreath Ornament Tutorial + Easy Fabric Gift Bags + A Giveaway!

Welcome to my stop on the Windham Fabrics Christmas in July blog hop!  I know,  it's hard to think about Christmas when it is so HOT outside, amiright?  But if you're like me, you always have grand plans to make handmade gifts for the holidays and then December is here before you know it and you are thanking your lucky stars for Amazon prime a few days before gift-giving time.  But this year, we're on top of things!  (Pssst...Keep reading to the end of this post to find out how you can win the fabric used on this stop of the blog hop!)

Ok, let's be realistic.  Even if you do wait until the last minute again, I'm sharing a super quick and easy project that you can make with items you already have around your house: a no-sew Christmas wreath ornament.  These are great to use as decorations, or make several to give as gifts!   This project is quick, easy and pretty darn cute. So without further ado...

No-Sew Christmas Wreath Ornament Tutorial

Step 1. Gather supplies and cut your fabric.  You need two things for this project: a small round shape and fabric. I used wide-mouth mason jar lids because they are cheap and I already had some on hand, but you could use a small embroidery hoop or something similar.  [You can also make your own round shapes with pipe cleaners or a wire clothing hanger.]  Cut your fabric into strips measuring about 1 inch by 7 inches long.  It doesn't need to be precise (isn't this project getting better and better?!).  I recommend at least 35 strips for a 3.5 inch mason jar lid.

Step 2. Take one strip of fabric and tie a double knot around your hoop.  Continue adding and tying fabrics until you have filled the hoop.

Step 3. Once you have filled the hoop (I used about 35-40 strips for my mason jar lids), turn the knots so they are all facing the front of the hoop.  The back of your hoop should look like the photo above.  Fluff the fabric, add a ribbon or bow to hang and that's it!  

I think these would look great in classic colors as well as modern colors.  You could use them as decorations for gift wrapping as I've done below,  decorate a tree (but of course), add some bells and use as a festive door hanger, and even use them as napkin rings for an elegant table setting.  The possibilities are endless.

I still had a lot of fabric left over after completing these ornaments so I decided to whip up some quick fabric gift bags.  I simply took squares of fabric measuring about 16 inches.  I hemmed one side of the square. Then I folded the fabric in half and sewed the side and bottom using a french seam for a completed look (Here is a great tutorial on sewing french seams.)  Fill the bags with treats or a bottle of wine, tie with a strip of fabric or ribbon, add a mini wreath ornament and you have a quick, easy and beautiful gift.  

These would make great hostess, white elephant, and teacher gifts.  

For this project, I used Christmas Tidings by Rosemarie Lavin for Windham fabrics.  This is a classic Christmas collection featuring deep greens, reds, and metalic golds.  Would you like to win a fat quarter bundle of this classic collection to make your own ornaments?  Simply comment on this post telling me what your holiday sewing plans are this year.  I'll pick a winner at the end of the week.  Be sure to check out the Windham blog this week for other stops on the Windham Christmas in July blog hop tour!

Happy sewing!