What I've Been Doing Lately

Fashion Formula Skirt pattern by Kay Whitt

Jennifer Paganelli twin quilt set

I've had lots of different projects I've been working on. I took some time off to have some surgery (hysterectomy) & realized that I needed to wear either drawstring, loose skirts or dresses. I sewed up some skirts using Kay Whitt's pattern from her Fashion Formula Skirts booklet which I LOVE! The strip skirts only require 8-9" strips, so you can easily use up some half or quarter yards you have laying around. I used Anna Maria Horner's Field Study in the aqua/yellow combo as well as a mini check from Michael Miller. The second skirt is all from Queen Street (Jennifer Paganelli). There are lots of other variations to try & I'm really looking forward to it. There are lots of drawings, so there was never a confusing part as I was sewing. I didn't do a good job distributing the gathers with the first skirt, but learned for the second one. I also bought some of her dress patterns- the Diane Kimono & the Bebe dress which Kay modeled so beautifully at Quilt Market. I also have the Monique dress, but haven't tried it yet. You can find all of her patterns here

Next up is a twin size quilt I finished along with matching pillowcases (not pictured) & pillow shams in Jane from Super Fly. As always, I love mixing Jennifer's fabrics & I used Crazy Love & Super Fly with some blue and green additions from Honey Child & Queen Street. It feels so good to be back sewing again and to immerse myself in this creative world again!

Field Study

I am swooning over Anna Maria Horner's Field Study fabrics. I love the intricate designs, the unusual color combinations. They play well with her other fabric lines and it's always fun for me to pull from other designers for that perfect match. This group is on my floor and still needs tweaking, but I'm having fun with it!

I have put together other combos on my flickr and have put a few in the shop as quilt possibilities. What lines are you looking forward to??

Introducing Holly Marie Cases

I am so proud to show you my daughter, Holly's new shop on etsy called hollymariecases. A while back when I got my iphone I wanted to purchase a clear case so that I could put fabric it~ I know, that is a surprise! I chose the Loopy Vintage Floral in fuchsia & loved it! Holly has an iphone and she inserted floral fabrics for her phone and got lots of compliments on it. Studding clothing has been really popular and she and some friends got together and ripped and studded some shorts together. Next, iphone case studs! Her friends all wanted one, so she decided to open an etsy shop. It is a perfect partnership since I have a boatload of fabrics! Another great use of my beloved scraps! Pictured above are an assortment of Jennifer Paganelli fabrics as well as a Tanya Whelan. She has had so much fun creating each one and matching stud colors as well as figuring out new combinations. If you or someone you know is in the market for a cute iphone case, please check out her shop! :)

The Birds and the Bees

I got a few of the Birds and the Bees prints from Tula Pink's latest line. I really love the color combos she has in this line! Either grouping would make a colorful, show stopper quilt. I love how her designs incorporate animal or people within the designs. You could really have a quilt on your lap and have fun discovering the hidden treasures~ young or old! In the second grouping, #7 called Bees Knees, I didn't notice until I received the fabric that are bees in the form of flowers. So clever! Can you imagine wearing a dress you made from that fabric and then someone noticing that hidden treasure! Sewing is even more fun! :) I got mine at Hawthorne Threads, but I have seen this line everywhere!!

Cameo

I got Amy Butler's new Cameo line in yesterday and it was fun to play with! I love how it works so well with some of her cherished older lines, like Belle. I'm glad I still have a little bit left of a few of those prints. I have been looking at that olive green in Belle and wondering what I want to combine it with and then here is Cameo! It has that great olivey green, chartreuse & pretty blues that Amy is known for. The red looks great with the Wallflower red as well as the newer Souvenir in the last photo. Harriet's kitchen (the large one in the last photo) was especially fun to pull coordinates. I love busy prints with lots of color and finding just the right combo to bring out their beauty. Which prints are you planning on getting?

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. :)