The Handmade Dorm

My daughter Holly is heading off to Pepperdine this fall & she I had so much fun making things for her dorm that I thought I'd share our creations with you. When you make it yourself, you are able to put in your own unique style! We started off with a purchased duvet from Pottery Barn Teen in a deep navy with white pattern. We then went to my fabric stash & picked out fabrics for her patchwork & minky throw that will be at the end of her bed. You can find a listing to order one yourself from my shop here & I can customize it with your colors!

We created some custom pillows pulling fabrics from her blanket. We used a print from Hawthorne Threads called Cascading Border for one of them

This pillow I used Anna Maria Horner's pattern in her pattern booklet called Love from A-Z  & bordered it with a print that is out of print from Sarah Watts.

We found a really cute doily at Barn House Chicks that matched her bedding perfectly & I sewed it to a solid navy fabric & used piping from Hawthorne Threads called Arrows in peacock

Holly picked out a verse that had meaning to her but also gave a nod to Pepperdine as a Wave. She painted the canvas a deep navy & then glued letters & hand wrote some words in aqua. 

We both got into embroidering, so Holly had bought a pattern from Sublime Stitching with treats on it & since she loves to bake & used to work at an ice cream shop, this pattern group was perfect! She told me what she wanted written & so I did the small hoop that says "Lord Let them see you in me". The P is from the Moda Alphabet called "Spell it with Fabric" that was available as a download & thought it would be great in Pepperdine colors & I embroidered 'Go Waves' in aqua thread.

An obvious, easy make was a tie blanket made from 2 yards of Pepperdine colors tied together while we watched a movie together. We bought these at Joann Fabrics.

These thrift store finds painted aqua will be great for some free downloads she printed out from French Press Mornings "Encouraging Wednesdays" for the scripture.

Holly is ready to go to Pepperdine, but am I ready to send her?? I will post a finished dorm picture.

Coming Soon to My Shop!

Color Brigade random patchwork blanket is in the shop, ready for pre order. Fabrics are due to arrive in May! http://www.sewfunbymonique.com/listing/269665090/preorder-jennifer-paganelli-color

I am trying out the new Etsy Pattern shop model & purchased my own domain, sewfunbymonique.com. Check it out and let me know what you think! It's fun & exciting to have a new format. I like that both Etsy Etsy shop & Etsy Pattern give me more sections. I think Pattern is organized better for shopping. What do you think? I'd love to know your thoughts!

These colors glow in the shadows. Jennifer is a color genius! I have different sizes available within the listing. Baby size is 32x32, Toddler 32x48, Throw is 40x56 & large Throw is 56x64.

Love the olive green with pink. Here's a combo that will be in my shop once the fabrics arrive.

Top left print is one of my favorites! The butterfly adds a pretty touch.  Look for this in my shop next month!

Good Company Love

I've been having lots of fun playing with sample yardage from Jennifer Paganelli's upcoming line, Good Company due out in November. I'm crazy for her color combinations and this time around I especially love the periwinkle/pink combo with the shot of yellow. I got out my beloved Casey Scroll fabric and used almost all of it for the exterior of my purse. (I did save some for quilts)

The strap & interior are Jane from Superfly. I used scraps from the random patchwork blanket I made her out of the fabrics. The back pocket was a great place to showcase some of the prints.

Below is the blanket ( I call it a blanket if it's minky backed with no batting in between or quilting).

I am taking preorders if anyone is interested. The fabric line will be out in November!

Jenny Eliza

Coming to a Joann Fabrics near you in July is Jennifer Paganelli's debut collection for them called Jenny Eliza. I had the privilege of sewing all the prints into one of my random patchwork minky blankets for her. I have to say I really love the quality! They all feel wonderful! The colors are vibrant and eclectic just as Jennifer always designs. You will not be disappointed! Click on the pictures to get a closer look.

Based on everyone's reaction to this line, it will sell out quickly! Right now Jennifer is giving away one of these blankets size 40x56 which is a perfect size for a small throw or it will fit a toddler bed nicely. Pictured below is Holly so you can see comparatively how big it is.

You just need to visit the Jenny Eliza Facebook page and like it. Then, comment on the photo that shows the blanket and you could win it! Then you can see for yourself how amazing these prints are. They are so summery and pretty! They also blend will with Jennifer's other lines, especially 

Beauty Queen Hope you win! If not, it will be available as a preorder in my shop!

Circa is Coming!

It seems like I've been waiting forever for Circa by Jennifer Paganelli to come out! She had sent me some fabric to make her a quilt in January & I just fell in love with it! I love how it is a softer palette than Crazy Love or Happy Land, but the colors are still vibrant and true to Jennifer's style. I made myself a spring purse with some of the scraps so I can enjoy it until the yardage comes in, some time in May. I am also working on a simple patchwork quilt, pictures to come soon, for my bed!
I am taking preorders in my shop for a 40x56 blanket, as pictured in the first photo. If you want a different size, the prices are listed within the listing. Hawthorne Threads is taking preorders if you want the yardage as soon as it comes out!
A quick update on my chemo: I am halfway done! Yay! My side effects are manageable, I have no complaints! Prayer works. :)

Headscarves!

Circa patchwork, lined with aqua solid

Circa patchwork, 20"

Alchemy reversible full scarf

Baby Bouquet voile self lined

Floral patchwork half scarf

So, you know that if I was going to lose my hair during chemo I'd have to experiment with cute headscarves! An internet search revealed nothing appealing. I think I like the handkerchief look more than those with the band around the bottom and tails hanging down. Maybe I'll think differently when I have NO hair, but for now I like this look better. Here's what I did. My first scarf in Circa I pieced a 20"square, then lined in a coordinating Kona cotton. I folded it in half, like picture #2 and then tied the ends in the back tucking in the flap that would hang in the back. My son said I looked like that war advertisement with the lady in the headscarf. Retro is good! :) Next, I did a 22" pieced square, cut it in half and lined with a solid, like the last pic. There is less bulk & then I had another half with slightly different fabrics. With the pieced ones, pay attention to the fabrics you put in the middle because those will be on your forehead. I was thinking that voile would be super soft and comfy against my head, but I think voile on both sides is too slippery, so I would do voile lined with cotton on the other side next time. Lastly, I did a 22" square with 2 different prints making it reversible with Alchemy cottons. Love the reversible idea! To sum it all up, it seems like a 22-20" square is great for an adult's head. I sewing the right sides together leaving a hole for turning, clipping the corners before turning. Then I ironed & topstiched around the edge. Super fast, super cute!

Flower Boxes Quilt

Even before Happy Land was in my hands I was planning on what to do with it. I surprisingly won 6 yards of it from commenting on the freespirit blog and was excited to see what the colors truly looked like. I don't know how Jennifer does it, but all these colors play off each other so amazingly. I really do get my inspiration from a single fabric and run with it. After all, these fabric designers are the experts at color- especially Jennifer! I started cutting up the fabric and wanted to do a different design for this line and the Flower Boxes pattern took shape. I only had a few blocks done and had to wait for a gap in receiving the rest of my order, so they sat Washi taped to my wall for a few weeks. Once I received the rest of the yardage, the fun began. I tried to mix up each block, not matching the fussy cut flowers in the center too exactly if possible. If you can let go, you can find some amazing color combinations just playing around. I quilted it with an Aurifil thread that is a fuchsia variegated #4660. Every fabric from Happy Land was used in this quilt! I truly get too distracted on a daily basis finding new fabric combinations as a happy accident from a sudden inspiration! :) I have put this quilt in my shop~ a rarity to have a ready made quilt in the shop, but this one is here in case it speaks to you! :) Its a 45x63 which would work as a throw, or toddler bed or baby quilt. I am so honored that Jennifer featured this quilt on her blog today!!! She is such an amazing, supportive person and I love the beauty that she brings to the quilting world with every new collection! I had never sewn clothes until recently because I found I had to wear these amazing fabrics, too! :)

Dorm or Twin Set Ready to Ship

I just finished making this set that would fit a dorm bed or twin bed. It is 60x72, so the length is slightly shorter than a twin mattress, but you can pull the blanket down a little to make room for the pillows. It is pictured on a queen size bed positioned horizontally. I've included a pillowcase & 14" throw pillow cover. The sham is not included. It's all ready to ship in the shop! :)

Quilt It!

I love the opportunity to free motion quilt some swirls. I use a Juki TL-2000 Qi. I love how it quilts~ it's a workhorse! For this eclectic mix of fabrics I chose a variegated pink Aurifil thread. The backing fabric is Natasha in red & the binding is Cecilia in brown. I think that sometimes one of the hardest decisions is choosing the thread color for the quilting. Often, the backing fabric has a greater influence on the choice for me. I like it to somewhat blend when I am doing the swirls as I sometimes feel like I am scribbling all over the fabric designer's artwork! I love the crinkly goodness that results after washing when it's quilted all over. I hope Kristin enjoys her quilt!
Additional info: it is available as a made to order quilt in my shop. :)

Millie's Market Tote

I am guest blogging on Sara Lawson's blog as part of the exciting Purse Palooza this month! Lots of prizes as well, go check it out! Here is the rest of the tour schedule:
June 18 - Monique @ Sew Fun by Monique (Millie's Market Tote from Happy Home by Jennifer Paganelli)
               Katie @ Swim, Bike, Quilt! (Green Bee Scoop Tote)
June 19 - Jennie @ Clover and Violet (Lunch Bag from Pink Penguin)
               Joanna @ Shape Moth (Emmaline Bag)
June 20 - Jen @ Bettycrockerass (While Baby Naps Metal Clutch)
               Krista @ The Spotted Stone (The Sometimes Crafter Amanda's Knitting Bag)
June 21 - Katy @ The Littlest Thistle (Noodlehead 2-4-1 Tote)
               Terri @ Sew-Fantastic (In Color Order Lined Drawstring Bag)
June 22 - Elizabeth @ Don't Call Me Betsy (Amy Butler Weekender Bag)
               Sarah @ Fairy Face Designs (bag from the Bag Making Bible)
June 25 - Amy @ Sukie Don't You Know Who I Am? (Amy Butler Sophia Bag)
                Heather @ {House} of a la Mode (Retro Mama Granny Bag)
June 26 - Julianna @ Jednoiglec (Charlie's Aunt Kitchen Garden Bag)
               Jeni @ In Color Order (Bari J. State Street Tote)
June 27 - Kerry @ Very Kerry Berry (bag from Suzuko Koseki)
               Michelle @ I Like Orange Too (Left Bank Granny Bag)
               Laurie @ On the QT - Quilting Tangents (Betz White Hexie Hipster)
June 28 - Kay Whitt @ Sew Serendipity Studio (tutorial: adjustable strap with metal slider)
               Amy Barickman @ Indygo Junction (tutorial: installing grommets/magnetic snaps)
June 29 - Melissa @ Bittersweet Designs (Bella Nonna Boutique Shoulder Bag)
                Kelly @ Kelby Sews (Pat Bravo Paris Bag)
                Bianca @ Sweet Diesel Designs (Lisa Lam For Pleat's Sake)

Lilly Pulitzer Quilt

I had the privilege of being sent a customer's collection of Lilly Pulitzer prints & making them into a random patchwork blanket (minky on the back, no quilting). It was like a puzzle interlocking all of these beautiful prints in a pleasing combination. Many of the fabrics were different weights~ home dec, voile-like, quilting weight & the white one with palm trees was textured like toweling. The result is an eye catching combination filled with different textures and motifs. I could spend hours just looking at all the beautiful prints! I hope my customer loves it!

The Best of Sis Boom Bedding

I was thrilled when I was asked to create this set as it has all of my favorite Jennifer P fabrics in it that span a wide range of her fabric lines! I am A L M O S T  O U T of the Elizabeth Rose fabric, my fav fav! I am actually working on making a Lucy Halter top with it as I realize when it's gone, it's gone and I want to wear it. I will review that when it's done. I hope Tiffany enjoys her set!

Plum Pretty Quilt

I have always loved every shade of purple, but going towards plum is just so lucious to me! I enjoyed every stitch of making this quilt for Jenni. I outlined the patches in a straight stitch and then free motion swirled the plum dot border which is Hoodie's Crosshatch dots in plum. Jenni ordered a whole crib set, so this is part of a bigger picture~ but it's a great start! I can't resist photographing my kids if they will let me with my quilts & I love how Holly looks with the backing of this one! Hope you are enjoying your Saturday!

Good Morning!

Today started out with beautiful California weather, a bouquet of my freesias & a quick few pics of a minky blanket as a tablecloth~ why not?? I had a customer ask about a patchwork tablecloth & we ended up deciding on a patchwork runner (pics when it's finished), so I got to thinking why couldn't this be a tablecloth or table scarf?? I have a small outside table & just draped it across. It would be beautiful to wake up to this setting & have coffee and enjoy the 75 degrees weather with my morning coffee. Alas, this one's shipping out, but maybe once I get caught up I can make one for me! This size is 44x56. Be sure to check out Jennifer's blog to get the latest beautiful happenings there!

Newest Crazy Love Creation

Truth be told, I could find new fabric combinations all day and never be bored! My first Crazy Love project used every fabric from the line and now I'm going through my large Sis Boom stash to mix and match new and old favorites. I adore this color palette of brown, periwinkle & pink. I put pink minky on the back and you can see how it glows in both the sun and shade. Next up, orange, red & aqua!

June Song Quilt

A few months ago I was contacted by Lothian to make a custom quilt for her. She told me a few fabrics she loved and I pulled from my stash to create the quilt pictured. Alexander Henry's June Song fabric was the jumping off point for the colors. I used lots of coordinates from Jennifer Paganelli as well as Lizzy House (love all her pearl bracelet prints), Lecien, Josephine Kimberling, Valori Wells & the Daisy is from Riley Blake. I had the daisies with red center on hand and couldn't find yardage for the binding, but found the same print without the red center. It looks so pretty for the binding

I wish it showed up better, but I straight line quilted this with a variegated fuchsia thread from Aurifil which looks especially beautiful on the back against the black fabric. I hope Lothian loves it as much as I do!