Flower Applique Quilt with Stay Home Fabrics

I was quite excited when Lindsay from Stay Home Fabrics offered to send me a couple of Fat Quarters to play with!

 

She sent me these FQ's:

Hide and Seek Sky

Pinwheel Blush

Pinwheel Midnight
Raindrops Turquoise (out of stock at the moment--will update link when in stock again!)

I put together a free tutorial for a wall hanging!

 

 The solid grey came from my stash--it's a plain old quilting cotton--perfect for a canvas to add some lovely color!

 

I had so much fun fussy cutting the large flowers out of the Hide and Seek Sky FQ.

 

And, then the text. I hesitated the longest with this.

I wanted it perfect and wasn't sure if I wanted to incorporate the text into the quilting or what I wanted to do. But, I knew it had to stand out--it had to be visible.

So I embroidered them on by hand.
After chalking the words on to make sure they'd fit where I wanted them, though I didn't end up using the chalk out line very much.
It ended up being pretty free hand.
(I can only wish I had better penmanship!)

 

And, for the quilting, I quilted about a 1/4" from the flowers and then stitched-in-the-ditch for the rest.

 

I added some triangles in the back to hang it.

 

For the backing, I cut the left overs from the FQs into strips and pieced the back.

 

And, the binding--I love how the small flowers look as binding.

Plus it's a brighter color to add that girly flair I wanted for my girls' room!

 

A bright ribbon I hijacked from one of my daughter's gift bags she had stored away is a perfect match.

 

You can get the free tutorial here!

 

And, hop on over to Stay Home Fabrics--Lindsay has $10 flat rate shipping in Canada or free shipping on $100 or over, and the entire month of September you'll get a free, surprise 10 piece 5" charm pack with any order!

Plus, use the promo code "justbeautiful" to get 15% off the Dashwood Studios collection until Wednesday at midnight!

 

Follow Stay Home Fabrics on Facebook for future promo codes and sales!

 

Etage Dress and Top

When Terri from Sew Straight & Gather put out a testing call for her Etage Dress and Top, I quickly applied.

The design is amazing!  

 

 

I love the asymmetrical layering of the skirt.

It is absolutely gorgeous!

 

I made the half length sleeves in a dress version. Size 4.

You can also make it sleeveless, short sleeved, and you can make it as a top.

So, you have a lot of options!

 

The floral fabric is from Girl Charlee (referral link) and the solid pink is from Fabric.com (affiliate link) from quite some time ago.

 

This'll be a perfect dress for winter here!

It has a good number of layers so it will be nice and warm.

 

 

The Etage Dress and Top pattern will be is available here on the 26th! by mid October! (Terri is perfecting an already superb pattern to make it absolutely perfect!) 

School Boy Vest and Bosco Bowtie

A couple of weeks ago, we received some great news--we had a new nephew!

So....I had to sew something up.

 Of course.

 

 

For the cute little man, I thought a cute little reversible vest would do the trick.

 

Add in a sweet little bow-tie, and we're all set!

 

 

The vest pattern is the School Boy Vest pattern from Sew Much Ado.

I made it in a nice linen that I had in my stash from long ago--I believe it's from Fabric.com.

And, the snaps are Kam snaps--thanks to my friend Jess from Gracious Threads for the brown ones!  

 

And, the bow tie is the free pattern from Sis Boom--the Bosco Bowtie.

I did make it a little different than the instructions say--I used less hot glue as I didn't feel that it would be as strong compared to being sewn.

The fabric is from my local Fabricland. It co-ordinated perfectly, even though I didn't buy it for this purpose!

 

 

I love how it turned out--hope my sister-in-law likes it as well!



Getting Ready for Winter...

I'm definitely NOT looking forward to winter...I prefer to stick around 25 degrees (Celsius) or warmer...that's ideal.

I love my summers--walking around bare foot, the green grass, the beautiful flowers, the awesome thunder storms, not having to bundle 5 kids up to go outside.

I'm definitely a summer person.

 But, we've been thrown into winter--September 8 and we have our first layer of snow. Bah!

 

When Mel from Filles a Maman put out a second tester call for her accessory patterns, I knew I had to be in on it. (I hadn't signed up for the first just because I had waaay too much stuff on my plate for the end of August.)

 

 

These three patterns are once again done so well!

And, I feel stylish wearing these accessories.

 



 

The sizing on all of them are for babies all the way to adult so you can make them for the whole family!

I knew I wanted to make them for myself first--I know exactly what would happen if I didn't: I'd make them for the kids and then run out of time to make them for myself.

Nope, not going to happen.

 

 

I used a ponte knit from Girl Charlee (referral link) and I only had to use a yard to make all three accessories.

Mel made a great video to accompany the Beanie pattern--it helps so much in figuring out how to twist it, especially if you are a visual learner!

 

The patterns come in a bundle for $8.95 or separately for $6 each.

So, hop on over and get yours so you can be ready for winter!

 

Joyce Ann Bonnet

I recently was able to test a super cute cap and bonnet pattern by Stitchwerx.

The Joyce Ann Bonnet and Cap!

 

 

I sewed up the XXS view A on my 2 month old in a quilting cotton.

 

The outer fabric is from the thrift shop while the lining is from Connecting Threads.

 

And, the ties--those beautiful, lovely, lacey ties! I have no idea where I originally got them--I think they were tied on a gift or something and I hoarded them away, but they were meant for this project, I think!

Ha, no--she's not sitting by herself yet--I'm holding her!

This pattern has 3 views--two for the summer, one for the winter and sizes galore--from preemie/nb all the way up to adult!

I plan on sewing up new bonnets for the girls next summer, and if you see me walking around with one--don't be too surprised.



 

It reminds me of Laura Ingalls from the books, 'Little House on the Prairie.' I loved those books as a child and still do!

 

So, make sure to hop over to Stitchwerx and get your copy of this great pattern!

 

Dress for a Wedding--Fail

So....my brother-in-law got married recently and I wanted to make myself a dress for the wedding.

I'm still nursing my baby, and I had bought a too-large dress shirt from the thrift shop thinking I could convert it into a dress.

 

 

I had this vision, using the Ladies Caroline from the Mouse House. (affiliate links)  

So, a couple of days before the wedding, after all my other 'must-get-done's' were done, I set to work.

And, the day before the wedding, I got it done.

 

I tried it on, and my husband says, 'hmm....looks a little frumpy.'

So, I wore a different dress to the wedding--one I've worn to most of our sibling's weddings--one that was a little more elegant.

 

And, this dress has been delegated as the 'working-at-home-in-the-garden-or-in-the-kitchen' dress.

I still love it.

I can nurse in it, I feel somewhat dressed up at home.

And, I don't feel frumpy--just dressed for work! ha!

 

Oh, and the Mouse House has a 20% off sale all patterns in her shop right now--just not the bundled Carolyn. Go check it out and use the code SHOWCASE20 .  

Labor Day Sale!

If you've been eyeing a pattern in my shop, now is the time to get one!

They are 20% off (prices reduced to reflect the price) from the 1st to the 5th of September!

(only in the Craftsy Shop)

 

Pirate's Treasure Wallet Pattern

 

Perfect Petal Purse Pattern

 

Castle Applique Pattern

 

Hop on over to pick one up!