What I'm Working On

minky blanket

barcelona skirt

quilt WIP

Just some projects I've finished or are currently working on. I have posted all these in instagram, so I feel like I neglect the blog! It's like mini blogging. First pic is a blanket I made with my freespirit winnings plus adding past Jennifer fabrics. 

Second is Amy Butler's Barcelona skirt, altered. The original length to cut is 28" & I changed it to 23". I just prefer the skirt to go above my knee. Also, I don't line it. I worry that the bulk will make me look wider, so I just omit that step and attach the zipper as directed & just finish the top edge myself. Now, the pattern is perfect in my opinion & I plan on making a bunch to match my cardigans!

Last is the quilt pattern I'm working on for my shop using Happy Land. I have in the past used 8" squares or random patchwork, but felt like adding a different design. I am fussy cutting flowers from the line and mixing it all up with the small inner and outer borders. I'm calling it Flower Box, so If you are interested in having one of these, let me know. Right now my plans are to make this a 40x56 as that works as a small throw, toddler bed or baby quilt size. I can always make it bigger! ;)

Happy Land, Part 2

I got more Happy Land in, and as usual, I had to play with the colors. I am most intrigued by the last combo. There is something about that green background with the pinks, reds and touch of aqua that just feels amazing in person! The middle one with the warm browns seemed decidedly sophisticated & the first one is classic Jennifer Paganelli at her best in fuchsias & aquas. You can see my other combos on my flickr page. I still have more I want to order, but this will get me started! I'm planning some clothing for me and some quilts for the shop. The combos will be listed in the shop later today!

Happy Land preview

Midnight colorway includes navy, aqua, fuchsia, golden yellow & green

Hand quilted using Aurifil thread #2588

back

Ta Da!

I was super excited to win some of Jennifer Paganelli's soon to be released Happy Land fabric! It got shipped to me yesterday & I decided by the end of the day the first thing I would make is a purse for myself! It is my own pattern & I used fusible batting so I could hand quilt some details & machine quilt the rest. I have found that Aurifil #2588 is usually an awesome match for the fuchsia in Jennifer's fabrics. I used that so the quilting would stand out more. When ever I get her new fabric, I am itching to make something asap! :) It is supposed to be released Oct 1, but sometimes they are early. I know that Hawthorne Threads is planning to carry it. Next up is (of course) a baby blanket using Happy Land midnight and other previous JP lines.

Spinning Stars

So, before joining a quilt along, hosted by Katy I thought I'd make a test block to see how I liked it. Some blocks, which shall remain nameless, are just so time consuming in planning fabric placement. I need something I can come back to when I am able without getting stressed out each time. I'm also not super good at getting everything lined up when there's lots of pieces to put together. This block fits the criteria for me! The 2 issues I had was stretching along the bias & my seam allowances are too small on the finished block after trimming. I can adjust accordingly for future blocks. I pressed the joining seams open and the pie pieces in opposite directions so they'd nestle nicely. This way the block should lay flatter for quilting.You can find the free, downloadable pattern on Anna's blog.  Now to decide which fabrics to choose . . . :)

Green!

I can remember the summer between 4th and 5th grade when I took my first sewing class. We were supposed to pick out a 'simple' pattern to make an article of clothing. I picked a one piece romper with a zipper, of all things! My favorite color at that time was green. I found a green calico at the local fabric store, Rags to Stitches, and was so excited to sew it up. Needless to say it was way over my head and I can never remember wearing it! It kind of soured me to sewing and I had no desire to sew again until I got married. The moral of that story is give someone a super super basic pattern to sew as a beginner so they feel like they could actually see themselves sewing again! The good thing about that class is that I met a friend that I still keep in touch with to this day, so she is my 'oldest' friend. She is the one who first told me about etsy and encouraged me to open up my shop 4 years ago. So that's the good that came out of that class! :) My favorite color has changed over the years, unlike some people who keep the same favorite their whole life. In high school, purple became a favorite until around the year 2000 & then I was into red. About 3 years ago, thanks to Jennifer Paganelli, aqua has been the forerunner! So swinging back to the blanket I made above from various fabric designers, it is an ode to my childhood sewing class I took so long ago! It is now available in my shop. :)