Craftyblossom

a threaded jotting: mantra.

2011-12-03T01:27:00.000-05:00

I made this embroidered jotting from fabric and thread just about this time last year for a fundraiser.

I was approached by an organization for a donation and instead of my usual handbag or baby quilt donation, I chose to frame this little guy. I was pleased to see the bids roll in...

The silent auction was to benefit a wonderful organization called ASK (Advocacy Services for Kids), a local non-profit that offers support to children with emotional, mood and behavioral issues and their families. A cause which I feel strongly about, especially in my field of study.

As for my absence, life has thrown me for a few loops and have spent much of my time attempting to straighten things out. I haven't done any crafting or making of any kind in a few months and I am beginning to feel like a fish out of water. I have to remind myself that tomorrow is a new day and that it is a gift indeed! Hope to be back soon...

~Erica

a quilt for harry.

2011-10-20T23:36:00.002-04:00

This is a quilt for a baby named Harry.

Harry's parents are both graphic designers.

I made him this little quilt...

In the hopes that his cool parents would like it.

The End.

a little gnome quilt.

2011-10-08T16:42:00.001-04:00

Fall is finally here and the urge to make some quilts and get nestled in for the cold months that lie ahead have gotten ahold of me. You may remember this quilt, a custom order I put together nearly one year ago....This is a smaller replica of that quilt I loved so much!

This little sweetheart is headed to the shop very soon!

Hope you're all enjoying the first days of Fall, wherever you may be...

~xo erica

a summery blue and green quilt.

2011-08-22T13:30:00.005-04:00

Hello friends....another month has passed since my last post. ugghh. I always feel guilty about that. However, I have two full weeks off before school starts and I am bound and determined to get some crafting in before I go insane and quite possibly get thrown out of my quilting bee. As for this quilt, I put it together nearly two months ago for a friend. It's so summery to me! I love how bright and fun the blues and greens look alongside the Kona Ash, a larger throw for myself might very well be in order. Hope you're all enjoying these final days of summer.

Thanks for stopping by!

super simple tote.

2011-07-20T00:47:00.003-04:00

Last week I needed a last minute gift for a little girl who loooooves horses. Knowing that I had the perfect horse fabric, I started pulling fabrics for the gift. Since time has been a precious resource lately the gift had to be quick.

Good thing I had a few tote blanks I picked up at an estate sale last summer {I feel a bit like a cheater}. The pocket was all that needed to be constructed and went together so fast. I was super happy with the result and think it will make one horse-lover very happy.

Happy Independence Day!

2011-07-04T22:42:00.002-04:00

Hope you had some good ol' fashioned fun!

hipster baby quilt.

2011-05-20T22:04:00.003-04:00

I've been up to my old tricks.

I cannot believe it's been nearly two months since I've posted in this space! I miss it and I miss checking in on you all.

Hopefully, I will be able to find the time to enjoy some good 'ol bloggin'

Thanks to all of you who have been checking in on me!

~erica

a bucket of cute.

2011-03-31T00:50:00.004-04:00

If you know anything about me, you know that nothing gets me going like vintage fabric. I dream about vintage fabric, I collect it, I pet it, I stare at it, and I am finally getting around to using it! I have gotten over my fear of cutting into some of my most cherished prints and made a big ol' bucket of cute. In other words, I have made some zippered pouches for the shop!

This is just a sampling of some of the prints I've been working with...

oooohhhhh...

ahhhhh....

If you're in need of one of these, you know where to find them!

I have more that I'll be listing in the next few days.

{The pouches with the pleating were modified from the "Gathered Clutch" pattern by Anna Graham of Noodlehead. You can find that and other great patterns on her site. While you're there check out her new 241 tote pattern, it is super cute! I'll be making one for myself in the very near future!}

vintage fabric coasters.

2011-03-03T16:47:00.004-05:00

I've been busy in the studio!

Recognize the above fabric from anywhere?

Yep, its a vintage seersucker print that must have been a jumping off point for FMF.

I've listed all these coasters in the shop!

Thanks for poppin' in!

~erica

wordless wednesday.

2011-03-02T17:08:00.002-05:00

fabric labels :: a tutorial

2011-02-03T15:25:00.014-05:00

I have received nearly a hundred emails over the last couple of years from sewers and quilters asking where I get my labels. Instead of explaining (nearly) every time (sorry if I haven't gotten back to you!) I thought I would put together my first tutorial. Here goes nothing...

Supplies: 1.25 inch Rug binding or twill tape-there is an adhesive variety, do not purchase this...we need to iron our labels and it simply won't work for our purposes.

Stamps

Stamp Pad- I use an acid free pad intended for paper

Scissors

Iron with steam

Heat n' Bond Ultra

Begin by cutting your twill tape to desired length. It should extend about 1 inch past your text and logo, mine tend to be about 3 inches (If you're making a mass quantity I recommend cutting and stamping one before you cut them all and realize that it is too short).

Once the ink has dried (usually just a couple of minutes), take a hot iron to them to heat set the ink. I have never had a problem with ink transferring to my iron, but if you are worried you may choose to use a pressing cloth.

Fold the ends back at least 1/4 inch and press

Get out the Heat n' Bond and cut 1 inch strips

One side is a smooth paper, and the other side is a rough adhesive.

Cut to the length of your label and iron with steam the rough side of the Heat n' Bond to the back of your label.

When you are ready to use your label simply peel off the paper to reveal the fusible surface.

I use a steamy hot iron to attach the label to my products, I then stitch around the perimeter of the label to reinforce the hold. I have never encountered any problems with this method and enjoy the homespun look of them.

I purchased my "Hand Made" stamp from The Small Object she has great stuff!

I hope this tutorial is clear, let me know if there is something that I've missed.

I will answer any incoming questions in the comment section so that everyone can benefit...

Good luck and go make something!

~Erica

CB Handmade

bean bags.

2010-12-31T00:45:00.001-05:00

This little set of bean bags were gifted to a dear friend of mine as she embarks upon her final leg of fieldwork to complete her degree in occupational therapy. Occupational therapists can utilize bean bags for 101+ activities, I am convinced that she will find these useful in her fieldwork.

{A quilted linen bag for easy storage and transport}

After I looked at these photos I quickly changed out the mint-green drawstring ribbon for charcoal grey grosgrain and it looks one hundred times better.

Thanks for stopping by~have a happy and safe New Year's Eve!

See ya in 2011!

~xo erica

custom patchwork quilt.

2010-12-04T00:00:00.002-05:00

LOVE

this

quilt.

It's awful difficult to part with this cheerful, little cutie.

I hope the tiny recipient loves it as much as I do.

Have a great weekend!

granny chic.

2010-11-30T09:08:00.017-05:00

Today is my 30th birthday and as a little indulgence I'm writing this post!

A few weeks ago I picked up this sweet little loveseat (an early birthday present to myself) and knew immediately that I would have to make a new pillow to modernize my granny style. It's a little ratty around the edges but I hope to have it recovered some day. It happens to be perfect for now but perhaps I'll have it recovered in a great modern fabric like Katy's...

I just love it...

As for the pillow, I put together some vintage aqua linen binding, a string of lace, an old thrifted tablecloth, some Echino Camera's from the NeedleShop, and some Japanese import newsprint I got from a little etsy shop.

Prints that feature typography are all the rage right now and I am always on the hunt for something new and different. The thing about Japanese import prints with words on them is that they are not always edited, neither for English grammar, spelling or general content. Self-editing is not necessarily a strength I possess and that's why my pillow (and my blog) contains questionable content. Yes, this pillow is rated 'R' and I didn't realize it until I was attaching the back...at least I am open-minded and have a good sense of humor.

Thanks for stopping in...

I'll be back sooner than later!

pink penguin love.

2010-10-14T15:13:00.007-04:00

It is no secret that Ayumi of Pink Penguin is talented, brilliant, creative and fun. I love making the patchwork fabric basket from her tutorial section on her blog. This one was made out of vintage feedsack fabric and linen. I made it just to hold my lil' collection of clothespins.
...a perfect fit!
I'm going to add generous to that list of Ayumi's qualities... check out what I found in my mailbox last week!

a great little stash of vintage fabric and quirky Japanese bits! I love it :) Thanks so much Ayumi, you made my week.

Have you all gotten your hands on the latest issue of Stitch Magazine? Ayumi's in it (aaaannd so are a couple of pieces of my vintage fabric stash that I sent her.) I am going to get my copy tonight, I'll savor each page...

thanks for stopping!

mini messenger tote II.

2010-10-12T15:17:00.002-04:00

Yes my friends, another one...This time I used a stony-green linen and bright fun linen selvages. This tote features an Echino polka dot and vintage floral. The color combination on this tote makes me so happy!

As soon as I get my act together this little cutie will be headed to the shop.

I used a little Joel Dewberry wood grain in the home dec weight for the interior. That stuff is getting harder and harder to find, which is too bad 'cause I love it.

Take care and thanks for stopping in!

mini messenger tote.

2010-09-29T20:59:00.004-04:00

It feels unbelievably swell to find pockets of time to share my creative endeavors with you all... I look forward to it and can't wait to sit down this weekend and get caught up on all of your blogs! I am struggling a little with time management and umm.... I need to get that in check.

Did I mention that I just recently went back to school? Yes, my friends, I'm gettin' me an edjumacation. I've wanted this for so long and am eager to get in the thick of my program; occupational therapy. I hope that I'll be making lots of crafty things and sharing some tutorials that you parents can use with your kiddos. Doesn't that sound nice? I think so.

On another note, this here's a little messenger tote that I sewed up. It features some great linen fabrics and Etsuko Furuya's Camera from the Ni-co line by Echino. I love this bag....perfect size for running errands, you almost forget that you're wearing a bag. OK, OK, enough rambling for me....gotta get back to homework :0

100% black linen body and adjustable strap....

strong magnetic snap...

in the shop!

~go make something!

letting my project speak for me...

2010-09-26T09:36:00.004-04:00

I could go on and on about what this means but I'll spare you... life is good, really good.

...to the shop it goes...

{measures approx. 7" x 9"}

Have a great Sunday.

scrappy bar quilt.

2010-09-13T13:07:00.003-04:00

As promised, here is one of my summer(ish) sewing projects. A friend of mine asked for a baby quilt to gift to her friend's baby girl. I knew that I wanted to do a scrappy quilt and it didn't take me long to decide on which pattern to execute. I modeled it after this quilt from my earlier days of sewing.
I mixed it up a bit by cutting each of the 10" lengths of patchwork bars in half and alternating them when I pieced the quilt together. I'm really happy with the result! This style lends itself nicely to the scrappy look I was going for but because there are two rows identical to one another it looks cohesive and purposeful (at least I think so).

You may have noticed that I no longer have that nice siding (as in my blog header) to photograph my quilts on. Yes, I am sad about that...I moved and I no longer have a sun porch that offers so much natural light. I'll be busy brainstorming new places to photograph my work...

until then...

go make something!

a little gathered clutch.

2010-09-03T20:15:00.000-04:00

Hey there! I bet some of you have thought I wasn't coming back... I didn't plan on being away from blogland for so long but life and Summer have a way of taking over at times. I am so looking forward to crisp, Fall evenings with the sewing machine working overtime.

Amidst all that was going on this summer I participated in a Flickr swap hosted by Sewtakeahike and Noodlehead. We swapped Noodlehead's super cute Gathered Clutch, you can buy it HERE. The clutch above (and below) was the one that I made for my super secret partner, Angela.

Here's a link to the clutch I received from Kirsten of Three Dancing Magpies...... I love it so much. Already I've had girlfriends try and claim it...fortunately, they're not swift enough.

I hope you all are enjoying the end of summer and the last long weekend for awhile.

I'll be back soon to share some of my summer thrifty finds and creative endeavours!

blue bunny zig zag quilt.

2010-07-24T12:35:00.006-04:00

This is the zig zag quilt that started it all. Believe it or not, this is the first zig zag quilt that I made, I completed it over a year ago. Yeah...I'm that bad! I am just now getting around to sharing it.

I was inspired by Rebekah's quilt, take a look it's super cute. You know I love the zig zag pattern...it's a nice way to introduce a touch of pattern into a simple design. I love the modern look of the solid zigs too (also on my list of things to make).

A few vintage reproduction fabrics.

A patchwork binding.

Thanks for stopping..
enjoy your weekend!

vintage sheet patchwork quilt.

2010-07-13T01:01:00.004-04:00

I finally made a baby quilt using some of my vintage sheets! I actually made two, but the other didn't photograph so well, so you'll have to wait to see that one! This is the softest little quilt ever. My favorite thing about this quilt is that once I finished, it felt as though these fabrics had always lived harmoniously alongside one another. A great feeling for a quilt I tell ya.

Although I love it, I had the hardest time cutting into my stash of vintage sheets. Every time I chose a print to cut, I had to think long and hard about whether I'd like to use the sheet on a bed or sacrifice it for the little quilt.

You see, I have this dream of having a little cottage on a lake that will be chock full of old, pretty things. Each bedroom will have no less than two twin wrought iron beds, neatly tucked with vintage floral sheets and handmade quilts.

It will be bright and sunny and have creaky, wooden floors, perhaps even whitewashed. The rooms will have candy colored dry sinks with huge enamel pitchers filled with flowers from the garden. There will be reading corners with overstuffed pillows and an assortment of my favorite picture books...

There will be trails of sand leading to wet swimsuits that hang from crystal doorknobs...

The mood will be light and the air thick of campfire and song...

It's a reoccurring dream and it makes me happy.

Oh, how I ramble....

hipster baby quilt. (yes, another)

2010-06-28T19:38:00.003-04:00

If it ain't broke...don't fix it. I guess that's why I like making this quilt so well, it's so darned fun! This time I used playful colors that warm the quilt up a bit. I am in love with the way this turned out, which is why I took so many photos.

I backed it in the Kona Lagoon which is just rich in color and makes me happy.

Sorry so short--just wanted to share :)

I'm going to massage aloe into sunburn now!

new glasses, new coasters.

2010-06-25T23:32:00.003-04:00

Where in the heck has June gone? I've been quietly working away in the studio on some projects that I'll share soon. I've been keeping an eye on most of my regular blog reads every few days or so but am looking forward to business as usual.

Earlier this week I scored a small set of the cutest glassware (thank you Salvation Army) and I thought I should make some coasters to match. Well--kind of. I used some vintage cotton fabric and centered some dumb dots in the middle, quilting them in the quilt as you go style....

I love them. I love my glasses.

I'll be back soon when the heat gets so intolerable that I cannot even stand to be in the swimming pool...I hear it's going to be 90 degrees on Sunday. For those of you in arid zones...Michigan is hot and humid. yuck.

Thanks for stopping!

an earthy plain spoken quilt.

2010-06-02T20:30:00.000-04:00

(Alternatively titled; One Quilt, Many Photos: A Tale of a Blanket That Needs a Good Ironing). Luckily my mother was out of town when I went to her house to snap some shots of this quilt(she'd die knowing I shared it with you in this state). I made it back in December 2009 as a Christmas gift to my parents. It sits neatly folded on the back of their big leather chair in their earth-toned family room.

The pattern comes from the book The Modern Quilt Workshop

My mother is a big fan of the American West and my childhood family vacations inspired the colors used in this quilt. It reminds me of driving through the Badlands at sunset. At least that's what I was going for when I was fabric shopping.

I've seen a lot of wonderful plain spoken quilts out there, but my absolute favorite was made by Rebekah of Don't call me Becky. You can find Rebekah's gorgeous quilt and others on Flickr.

I used some Robert Kaufman cotton sateen for the back which makes for a heavier quilt all around. I also quilted it using variegated thread which I actually loved (I was a bit hesitant). I used "straight" line quilting in a wonky fashion 'cause that's how I roll.

I hope you can get past all the wrinkles!

~Go make something!

my friends rock.

2010-06-01T08:50:00.004-04:00

A while ago I made a mini notepad quilt for my friend Terri, and this little cutie was mailed in return! A total surprise and I love it! The quilting is perfect, the binding and embroidery are impeccable, and the words, "live laugh love" are most certainly ones to live by. Thank you Terri, my friend! It is hanging on the wall in my studio and I admire it each and every day!

Another friend I met through blogging is Laura. She is the first blogger I ever struck up a relationship with. Over the past couple of years we have shared many things with one another and I am happy to call her a true friend. Anyway, Laura told me she had a few scraps that she thought I would like...but this is what showed up on my doorstep....

Some of these are 1/2 yard or more.... Aren't they purty?
She also sent along a handmade key chain that she used to give out with her orders on etsy. Adorable!
Here is the back, Cut Finger Productions. Best.Name.Ever.

Thank you so much ladies, you mean the world to me.

cross my heart :: a quilt.

2010-05-26T10:21:00.011-04:00

This is my entry for the Blogger's Quilt Festival 2010. This quilt, although very simple, is near and dear to my heart. Back in November, a loved one was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder, Langerhan's Histiocytosis. Swift medical attention was a must considering the severity of the disease. Unfortunately, my girlfriend is one of many uninsured Americans, making an extremely difficult situation all the worse. A fundraiser was organized to gather the necessary funds for treatment and a visit to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.

Among the many donations that came in, one anonymous donor stepped up and provided the remainder of the money needed for the medical testing and visit to the Mayo clinic. This warmed my heart so much and I thought a thank-you quilt was in order for this person. I suppose it's the least I could do. This quilt represents love, solidarity, faith, hope and positivity.

It didn't photograph so well, but it's really pretty in person.
{This quilt was inspired by this}
Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out the rest of the festival quilts!

giveaway winners!

2010-05-21T09:45:00.005-04:00

Many thanks to all of you who entered my little giveaway.

Sandie from sleepyowlstudio said:
A pillow for my bed - with a handwritten note to my hubby on the front.

and blogless Kelly said...
I'm thinking cute makeup bags or wristlets for my son's teachers. Thanks for the giveaway!

Congratulations ladies, I'll be emailing you soon!

fabric giveaway.

2010-05-15T21:52:00.008-04:00

{link}

A little giveaway as a "thank-you" for stopping by my little corner of the web. I feel so lucky to be part of this online crafting community that brings me so much joy, so thanks! In participation with Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Day I am offering TWO lucky readers a fat quarter of EACH of these Girl Friday prints by Cosmo Cricket. This fabric would be perfect for a multitude of sewing and craft projects. Winners will be chosen by May 21.

Entry Rules:

Leave a comment on this blog, telling me what you'd do with this fabric!

One entry per person please :)

Be sure to include your email address if you do not have a blogger account that links to one.

Good luck and be sure to check out the rest of the giveaways going on!

International entries welcome!

p.s. Don't forget to Follow my blog if you like what you see!

Comments Closed

Thanks to all who entered!

hipster baby quilt.

2010-05-12T14:57:00.004-04:00

I am finally back from a little unplanned 'blog break.' Sometimes a girl just needs a couple of weeks to think and all I've really come up with is that I think too much. This oil spill in the Gulf is breaking my heart on a daily basis and making me utterly sick. I honestly felt a little guilty doing anything pleasurable while such a catastrophe was underway.hmmmff.

I did however, manage some sewing on my little 'break'. I just LOVE the new fabrics by Etsuko Furuya for Echino. The new line is called Ni-Co and I got mine here. I can't wait to get some more colors and work on some new designs with this line. It's so nice to work with!

This quilt is very similar to my first hipster baby quilt except I used smaller squares to make the most out of my new Echino prints. I also added a couple of cotton pieces to this quilt, whereas my first hipster baby quilt was all linen and linen blends in a much more muted palette.

I quilted it in my favorite grid pattern with red and golden thread. I backed it in Kona Lagoon (which might be my new favorite).

Thanks for stopping by :)

vintage patchwork love.

2010-04-28T22:49:00.003-04:00

Every now and again I am called to my sacred little box of vintage fabric scraps to sew something up. This is a belt that I made for my sister (a special request) for her birthday today. I made one for her when I was just learning to sew and wasn't aware of all the interfacing and batting available to make a project substantial for everyday use. Perhaps I was thinking she wouldn't wear it everyday.

However, the belt soon became her 'signature piece' (we're simple girls, she and I) and all that wear made the belt limp, serving her best for pretty, but certainly not practical. I hope she likes this one, it's built to last!

On another note, I picked this beauty up at an antique store earlier this week. At first I thought it would be a great cutter quilt, but now I don't dare.

{ click on photo to enlarge}

seeing stars.

2010-04-21T19:04:00.002-04:00

I rarely ever show a work in progress and it's not because I'm terribly secretive but sometimes I feel sharing a finished work with you presents a sense of finality. This is far from final. The quilt top is a spin-off of Bee Beautiful's (quilting bee) charity quilt. I started making the blocks for Rebekah's project (originally inspired by Film in the Fridge) and I knew I wanted to make my own quilt using the same fabrics, in the same style. I was literally seeing stars after I made my charity blocks. I'm serious, these stars burned my retina.

I finished the top over a month ago but haven't yet basted it because I don't know how to quilt it. I am not comfortable with free motion quilting (but I try). I have seen some great star quilting here, here and here. But I just don't know! Should I put a border on it like this one? I am at a loss and I want to finish it.

~ I appreciate your feedback... now go make something!

p.s. Have you ever seen so many links in one post?

another zig-zag quilt.

2010-04-13T09:27:00.001-04:00

This is a little stroller quilt/playmat.

It's pretty much a mini-version of my other pink zig-zag quilt.

Except, it's bound and backed differently. :)

{click any photo to enlarge}

-Have a great Tuesday, I'll be back when I pull myself out of my funk....

I am a hex addict.

2010-04-06T19:11:00.007-04:00

I cannot deny it any longer and I think it's high time I own up to it. It all started by sneaking around late at night on the internet looking at hex photos. After a while, it wasn't doing much for me anymore . I needed the real thing. What's a girl to do? I checked out Christina's tutorial , via Ashley's post , I cut a bunch of strips of fabric and downloaded some of these. One thing led to another and I had a flower.... 0r 30...

{Denyse Schmidt's Hope Valley}

I keep asking myself why I didn't choose a larger hexagon but there is no turning back now. I am in love... at least it feels like love. I stack them up and spread them out just to look at them. I count and recount them just as a 5 year-old would dollar bills at a lemonade stand. Yes, my friends.....I am an addict.

a jungly zig zag stroller quilt.

2010-04-01T23:00:00.005-04:00

Another zig-zag quilt, this time in blues and green. I used Alexander Henry's 2D Zoo print in this one, perhaps a little too sparingly, but live and learn. I still like this one. I recently saw the 2D Zoo prints in the large scale design in a quilt shop and thought it would make an awesome cushion cover for a nursery. The original 2D Zoo was impossible to find a couple of years ago when it made its debut. Does anyone remember that? Well, now it's all over the place and I couldn't be happier. Nothing says baby like fresh, bright colors and jungle themes.

Thanks for stopping by....

{Go Make Something!}

pink zig-zag quilt.

2010-03-30T22:52:00.003-04:00

I love making zig-zag quilts. The simple design allows you to use as many or few prints as you like and get a really great result. This is yet another 'springy' color choice for me. I have really been digging pastel colors lately. I think that might have something to do with the holiday colored M&M's I can't stop thinking about... they're everywhere! They're even sold in stores that shouldn't sell food items. What is that all about?

OK, back to the quilt. I loved making this quilt, however, it tried my patience a bit. I don't think there is a quilting design that requires you to pay your full attention at all times...every 4 seconds it was needle down. presser foot up. turn. presser foot down. sew. stop. needle down. presser foot up. turn. presser foot down. sew. stop. Accck. I think you get the idea and if you've quilted in this design you know exactly what I'm talking about!

Springy blooms and sweet little bunnies.

Even with all my complaining I've managed to put together 3 more zig-zag quilts. Yet another instance of my self proclaimed problem. I'll share them as soon as I have them photographed and then they're going straight to the shop because I can't have several similar items in my house anymore. Seriously, have you watched A&E lately? End of story.

{Go Make Something}

sewing with vintage sheets.

2010-03-29T16:27:00.005-04:00

{click photo to enlarge}

Vintage sheets just beg to be made into something fun and springy for a baby and now is the perfect time to do so. When I was cutting the squares, I grappled with continuing with my original plan or making a baby quilt. I still have quite a few squares left over so a quilt is definitely a possibility. I added a strip of ric-rac just for fun and I backed it in a pretty, nubby cotton in a fresh spring green color.

As I was finishing up my third bib I realized that I have a serious problem: If I make one item and am happy with the outcome, I tend to make several. As I've mentioned before, I believe that in a past life, I spearheaded the industrial revolution :) Just kidding, but please tell me I am not alone! Only one of these is intended as a baby gift for a newborn. Perhaps I'll try to get a little booth at the local art fair this summer and try and rid myself of my box (and crate, closet and chair) of my wares, tangible proof of my problem.

Hope you all have an industrious week...

~Make something!

vintage sheets.

2010-03-23T19:38:00.003-04:00

Over the years I have collected a small stash of vintage bed sheets but I am always on the hunt for the really pretty ones that have a nice balance of pinks and greens and pale aqua. Of course I just about freaked when Josh, my best boy-friend, just up and GIFTED me all of his grandmother's sheets. Seriously, it took me years to find the ones that I have and I only have 5 0r 6. My collection has now doubled, no tripled in size (oh nevermind the math) and I have lots of variation!

In return, I will be making a lap quilt out of this for Josh's aunt to rock her grand-babies to sleep. Small price to pay for such pretty little things and really, I am happy to do it.

This here's the start of some projects from my vintage sheet collection, before I got my new additions. I was sewing and pressing, thinking Eastery things and wishing for some variation. Oh how I love when the stars align.......

Does anyone know of any vintage sheets swaps?

bringing back the sunday stash.

2010-03-21T19:35:00.004-04:00

My latest Japanese acquisitions, purchased while I was on the road last week. I got them here in person. The shop couldn't be cuter and neither could the owners. There is some serious cute going on at the CraftyPlanet! I relish sparkly, bright fabric shops that are inspiring and hip. But living in Michigan means there aren't too many (if any) shops that carry what I like (as far as prints go)! I have never seen any shops that carry any of the Kokka lines of fabric in my corner of Michigan.

All of this means most of my fabrics must be ordered online and then sent to my parent's house because I live on a busy street. Then I get a call telling me there is a package waiting. The problem is that most of you can probably keep your fabric addictions secret from your loved ones. You know how it goes...bring them into the home while lovey is at work, stashing them in the trunk, slipping them between newspapers.... Me? No such luck.

**phone rings

me: "Hello?"

mom: "hi"

me: "what's up?"

mom: *with disapproving tone* "Another package came for you today"

me: "oh thanks, I'll come get it soon."

mom: "you seem to be getting a lot of packages lately."

me: "I think it's my quilting bee fabric"

mom: "mmm hhmmm."

I won't take this dialogue any further because it usually ends in "Mom, I am a grown woman...." or something like that. So really this is my plea to West Michigan fabric shops: PLEASE start carrying Denyse Schmidt, Heather Ross and Japanese fabrics so that I can be a normal fabric addict. Please?

p.s. Mom, if you are reading this...it probably was my quilting bee fabrics. :)

giving thanks.

2010-03-09T11:30:00.004-05:00

I am thankful for....
the kindness and generosity of others.
old friends.
new friends.
sunny days that make me feel alive.
my family.
my quilting bee.
the scent of fresh, springy, earth.
my creativity.
your creativity.
smiles on strangers.
my trusty Schwinn cruiser.
fresh ground coffee in the morning.
my 3 yr old niece who always asks, "who made dat?"
my mail carrier who brings me fun things.
(not so thankful for the bills.)
blogs that connect me to so many creative people.
all the possibilities that may arise.

thank you.
all. of. you.
xoxo erica

{inspired by: this and something I found here, but

can't seem to find again.}

modern log cabin quilt

2010-03-01T14:53:00.003-05:00

I've been staring at my fat quarter bundle of Anna Maria Horner's Garden Party for ages. I do have a large project in mind for it. However, the print with the concentric squares in it just begged to be "fussy cut" and used on it's own. This is what I came up with... I used it as the center for my log cabins and drew my color palette from the print. I quilted it in free form, vertical waves...

I used a solid BRIGHT orange kona for the back and bound it in the olive (go figure) and added a little patch of brown for fun!

It is a fun quilt, wouldn't you say?

~go make something.....

an echino airplane quilt.

2010-02-23T20:04:00.002-05:00

I am loving the oddball colors in this quilt right now! Really, some of them just shouldn't be put together, but they work I tell ya. I cut up some Echino cheater cloth and added a variety of linen and linen blend solids to border and highlight each print.

I quilted it diagonally using cream and raspberry colored thread.

Backed in a super soft grey kona with charcoal binding...

Oh how I love this quilt. :)

Don'tcallmebecky is putting idea books to use.

2010-02-18T18:13:00.007-05:00

Rebekah of Dontcallmebecky is making a point to utilize some of the projects in her craft books that don't get used as much they should! I thought this was a great opportunity for me to do the same~I had been wanting to make something from Patchwork Style for a loong time. Thank you Rebekah for giving me the kick in the pants I needed. I just finished it about an hour ago so photographing it was kind of a pain since the sun was going down.... You can bet that you will be seeing a lot of this grid style patchwork from me...I am totally in love with it!

{click this badge to check it out!}

I couldn't find any suspender clips {I don't know what they're really called} like Suzuko Koseki uses in her book. Instead I turned this into a cross-body bag with woodgrain fabric straps.

You all still have time to enter Rebekah's giveaway and leave your name and project in her Mr.Linky! She's giving away a bag from Heather Ross' Weekend Sewing book and it's super cute...

happy valentine's day!

2010-02-14T10:55:00.002-05:00

Heather Ross for Spoonflower!

2010-02-13T09:42:00.002-05:00

I haven't heard of any bloggers talking about this yet so I thought I'd fill you in. Heather Ross has announced that she reprinting some of her out of print and highly coveted fabrics at Spoonflower. She is using this opportunity to use some pretty cool new colorways. Heather's blog has some of the details as well as Spoonflower,the design and print your own fabric design mecca. Check it out! I've always wondered how Heather Ross and Denyse Schmidt feel about their fabric being sold for nearly 10 times it's original value. This is such a great way for Heather to do something creative with her earlier designs as well as offer us fabric hounds something new. Maybe Flea Market Fancy will be coming soon? One can always hope.

Have a great Saturday....

little pinwheel quilt.

2010-02-08T19:47:00.002-05:00

If you visit my blog with any sort of regularity you will know that I have a bad habit of promising sew and tell that I don't deliver on. Well, my friends.... I plan to change all that. This is a stroller quilt/play mat finished months ago....tada!

I wasn't sure which color sashing to use but I finally settled on grey. I'm glad I did; It just makes the other colors seem so much brighter. This is a small quilt made with the intention of going in my shop although I don't know if I can part with it. All these candy colors make me want to gift it to the first little girl I see on the street!

I finally hung a picture hanging wire on my sun porch so I can take some proper photos for my quilts. I have been going back and forth on how to hang my quilts for a loooong time. I finally spent the $2 and bought the wire, I am really happy I did! Having hardwood floors throughout the entire house is great and I wouldn't change it, but the dust bunnies accumulate in a matter of hours in the winter time. Frankly,I was getting sick of vacuuming every time I want to take a photograph! This certainly remedies that situation. Do you hang your quilts? what do you use?

Double diagonal quilting lines....

There is that Olive Kona again. If I could only buy one color of Kona ever again, this would be it!

Thanks for looking....I PROMISE to share some more projects really soon.

~Go make something!

MacBook Pro Case.

2010-02-05T00:32:00.006-05:00

I made this laptop case a couple of months ago and am just now getting aroung to sharing it. This bag was whipped up out of necessity. All those pinstripes were quilted and were rather time consuming but I am pleased with the effect. I have to tell you it's really, really nice when function and form come together and you're proud of a project. Often, I realize after I've made a project I could have made it better by doing something differently. But I wouldn't change a thing with this bag. I didn't use a pattern, I made this on the fly with only a simple sketch to guide me. Have a looksee...Love this cargo pocket that fits the power cord unit perfectly! The pocket is outfitted with a patch of Etsuko Furuya's roadster fabric to make it a little more intersting...

The flap is secured by two strong magnetic snaps. The body and lining are both made of heavyweight canvas with interfacing and batting adding necessary structure and cushion.

Super slim, just like the machine is was designed to carry.

Sunshiny-yellow quilted lining with a giant offset patch pocket.

Thanks for stopping by!

~make something!

craft hope for haiti.

2010-01-18T09:51:00.005-05:00

What a great way to help! I am working on my donation right now....

lavender mini messenger tote.

2010-01-07T21:16:00.002-05:00

I whipped this little cutie out a couple of days ago. The body and strap are made of 100% linen and the scraps are all vintage feedsack and vintage quilting solids. You may remember this post from not too long ago, which was my first go at this style of bag. This little hip bag is meant to be worn on the hip and across the body.

Just in case you are interested in one of these for yourself, I have a couple (similar) listed in my etsy shop...just in case!

~Sew Something!

kiddie present.

2009-12-31T01:09:00.004-05:00

Making gifts (especially for little girls) is one of my favorite things to do. They are thoughtful, whimsical, charming and bright. This Christmas was the perfect time to pull out a couple of great tutorials to make a little present for a special sweetie I know. The first is the Kidlet, as most of you will know from JC Handmade. It is a great go-to gift that doesn't take a great deal of time to complete and the end result is perfect! Such a great way to get the little ones to stash their toys out of sight. I decided to make the pocket on mine a little larger than the pattern calls for, but that's because I wanted the next gift to fit inside the pocket...

The sweetest cloth doll in the world. Emily from Inside A Black Apple has a great tutorial and video from her appearance on the Martha Stewart show, really you all it's a no fail tutorial! Try it out. I also changed this one a bit too, I only printed this pattern out at 117%, instead of the 150% I was supposed to because I wanted it small enough for a 1 year old to tuck under her arm while she bobs around the house on her sea legs. You may also notice that she has no face. This was intentional. The recipient is going to be a big sister pretty soon and i thought it would be neat if she could tell her mommy how she is feeling (sleepy, sad, etc.) a little responsibility that could prepare her for the new baby. Please don't think I'm crazy, we're talking about a pretty well-advanced 1 year old! I also included a sweet little letter to the little girl in the package written from her new dollie. Oh, and a little quilt for her new baby.

I am also aware that when the 1 year old maintains manual dexterity around 3, this dollie will most likely have a face! Hide the markers! ha. I hope you all got to sew up something extra special for a sweet little person over the holidays, it really IS the best!

handmade and hectic.

2009-12-28T18:34:00.007-05:00

This was how I answered the question "how was your holiday?" asked by a friend. I do it every year, and I do it to myself, and I say that I will start my crafting earlier every time! However, just about everything got done, and I did enjoy it. This is a quilt that I made for my uncle. He is so generous every year that I thought it time he get a big cozy quilt. I think he liked it. I probably should have ironed it (at least for all of you), but I had just pulled it out of the dryer and took a quick photo before it was squished into a box and wrapped! That's how close I cut it with all of my holiday sewing this year. yikes. I'll be back in the new year with lots of new sew and tell! Party hard and have some fun!

This photo depicts the true colors a little better than the top, which was hit pretty hard with sunlight.

~Sew Something!

hipster baby quilt.

2009-11-05T15:22:00.002-05:00

The top is a mixture of 100% linen, and cotton/linen blends. I love it. 'Nuf said.

linen scrap tote.

2009-10-26T20:37:00.006-04:00

I sewed this little tote up this summer and it was I used it as a purse. I just realized that I never shared it with you! I have a bad habit of thinking that the quality of my photos doesn't justify me posting them on my blog. The funny thing is that I tend to use the original photos months later as if the photo has improved or something. I've got about 6 completed quilts that are not being shared for the same reason. Am I the only blogger that does this?

mustard tote.

2009-10-23T23:51:00.004-04:00

Perhaps I have been enjoying Fall too much that I had nearly forgotten how much I love to lurk around Blogland. I can't believe that it has been over a month since I've stopped in here. There is so much I love about this time of year that I feel the need to soak it up while i can. I have taken full advantage of this season; Butternut squash and apple soup to keep me warm, cider to keep me sweet and cider mill donuts to plump me.

I've also been quite busy in the studio. Most recently I have been working on some smallish messenger totes that I am completely in love with. I had made a few in other designs with some vintage fabric patches but then I saw the Fall '09 Stitch Magazine cover and just about flipped! Not only did I love the tote on the cover, it was from Ayumi of Pink Penguin. I knew that she had been asked to feature a project but the cover is quite the accomplishment. How great is that? Congratulations Ayumi!

This project was the infusion of my mini-messenger and her tote, and I can't wait to use this. I used a mustard colored cotton/linen blend for the body and used vintage and linen for the strippy patches. I made the adjustable black strap from linen too.

And here is my new label with many thanks to Sarah of The Small Object whom I had the privilege of meeting (albeit briefly) at the Renegade Craft Fair Chicago. She is an amazing designer, check her out!

I hope to share more really soon......until then...

SEW SOMETHING!

little school quilt.

2009-09-13T22:34:00.006-04:00

I'm back with another quilt. I just love this style quilt so much, it's a great way to showcase your favorite prints and colors in ways that don't distract. This is a pretty durable design too...

I used some Japanese fabric by Kokka, simply dreamy....

The "orange" which is actually terra cotta didn't photograph so well. Trust me, it is not that bright! Hmm...maybe you should adjust your monitor.

Possibly my favorite Kona color ever, Robert Kaufman in olive. yum.

Take care! Sew something!

giveaway winner.

2009-09-04T10:17:00.003-04:00

I've got a little bit of fabric love to spread today......

The randomly chosen winner is #45

rainylakechick said...
I love these prints! I hope I win!I am also now following you!
September 3, 2009 2:26 PM

Thanks to everyone who entered! This was a fun giveaway, I might have to do another in a few months, in time for Holiday gifts....keep checking in!

So congratulations Rainylakechick! please send me your address (ericasage@myway.com) so that I can send these bits of fabric love to you! I can't wait to see what you do with them!

flea market fancy giveaway.

2009-08-31T19:31:00.004-04:00

Yep. I'm giving away a fat quarter of each of these coveted fabrics right here. Here is how you can enter......

1. Leave a comment on this blog for 1 chance to win.

2. Leave a comment and "Follow" the blog for a second chance to win. Following the blog is as easy as clicking on the Follow button in my sidebar, once you've done that, tell me!

It's just that easy. Really folks.

But wait.......*in my best Billy Mays voice* ( may he rest in peace)....

For a very short time you have the chance to purchase the pink spotted leaves at a super low price considering the market. My gal pal over at Mazawi is offering U.S. craftyblossom followers $4OFF a half yard of her stash of the good stuff! Just mention my blog in a convo to her and she'll hook you up. Oh, and she said she wanted to give those of you who live in the U.S.of A a break on shipping.....Its FREE! hurry while supplies last!

aww yeah.

get on it folks.

I'll announce a winner on Friday! Good Luck.

jungle patch.

2009-08-22T11:11:00.003-04:00

I know, I know, another baby bib. They are just too easy to make and a great gift to give. This one is going to a brand new baby (who won't fit into it for months) just born 2 days ago. You gotta take a little something for the baby or mama the first time you meet the little one! That's just the way it goes....

I am really enjoying the twill tape patches, it makes it soooo easy to personalize a gift. I particularly love the name of this lil' baby! He should do great things with a name like Matiss.

As promised, I have a couple of quilts to post as soon as the lighting improves, it seems small projects are photographing much better these days. Go figure.

Have a great weekend!

pinky patchy.

2009-08-17T07:45:00.004-04:00

I made a new bib! This one was a gift for a little sweetheart in California. I made it entirely from scraps from other projects, which was so satisfying!

I stamped a piece of twill tape to make a patch.

The best part of making and gifting this bib was that it was hand delivered to sunny Southern California. That's where I've been the past week...It's lovely to be so near the ocean. I had a great time but my mind was spinning and I couldn't stop craving the hum of the sewing machine. I took a little baby quilt with me on plane so I would have something to bind during the flight. As soon as I get around to washing it I will share it with you. Glad to be home!

*Edited* Adorable GIVEAWAY over at Lovely Little Handmades. Check it out, Kerri is being extra generous!

quilted swatch coasters.

2009-08-05T09:12:00.003-04:00

It always feels good to have your talents called upon for a handmade gift. The other day my mom asked if I could make some coasters that would match her friend's house for a little birthday gift. Having mostly candy-colored and child-like prints in my stash, I dug out some upholstery swatches my interior designer friend gave me about year ago. It's really hard for me to believe that with all of the fabric I own, I haven't got ANY quilting weight burgundy bits!

So, the three prints all come from the same fabric line and match nicely, the linen was just thrown in because I like the way it looked. I don't think I'll ever tire from making coasters. They are such a great little gift to give and take a couple of hours (taking breaks, of course) to bang out. I hope you all enjoy your Wednesday/hump day!

for the sake of binding.

2009-08-03T18:26:00.004-04:00

Have I ever told you how much I love binding? It's like the icing on the cake for me. I love to have something ready to bind for watching T.V., going on a long car ride or while my niece naps. It's really one of my favorite things to do and such a great way to relax. A couple of weekends ago I was house/dog sitting a brand new puppy, so I threw this little blanket together just for relaxing. There are rarely idle hands around here!

The quilting is a little irregular, I wanted it to resemble water, since the fabric I chose has mostly watery colors. I love this little lap quilt. It reminds me of those really loud polyester blankets of the 60's and 70's. Well, minus the vintage smell, because this is all new fabric.

In honor of my love for binding, I am leaving you with a link to Christina of The Sometimes Crafter who has just posted a tutorial about binding methods. One uses glue which totally surprised me as I have never heard of such a thing, but it looks like it might work splendidly. Get along then, check it out!

Happy Binding....

automobiles.

2009-07-28T22:08:00.007-04:00

I bought a yard of the Alexander Henry car fabric about 6 months ago and never knew what to do with it. That is until this popped into my head. Keep it simple, I told myself.....let the cars stand out! I think it worked. I really enjoy how subtle this quilt is despite the bold colors.

closer.

I used four different colors of thread to grid quilt this. Although you can't tell the difference between the green and the yellow, it's there.

yep. Another shot. just in case you missed the first few...

And one last photo to show you the luscious cotton sateen binding. I have never bound a quilt with sateen and I gotta tell ya' its a really nice finish.

This quilt is being donated for a charity fundraiser....

I'm sure I'll be back soon, thanks for stopping in!

lil' basket.

2009-07-20T16:23:00.003-04:00

I made this little basket the other night because I was looking for a start to finish project. I had been thinking about making this for a while and I had the tutorial bookmarked for months. There is a sweet lil' blogger by the name of Ayumi, who blogs at Pink Penguin, if you haven't checked her out yet, what are you waiting for?

I used linen and mostly vintage fabric scraps for this basket, although, you might recognize a piece of michael miller dumb dots in there! I couldn't resist, I love a polka dot.

For now it's storing little sewing bits, but in the future I think this would be a great way to present a baby gift like a burp cloth, handmade rattle, and bib. This would be adorable in a baby's room. Enjoy what's left of your Monday...

Sunday Stash.

2009-07-19T13:55:00.001-04:00

Because I couldn't leave Chicago without a trip to my favorite fabric shop.....

Hope you all had a great weekend!

a modern quilt.

2009-07-07T16:38:00.004-04:00

I finished this quilt months ago, but am just now getting around to posting the photos. It didn't help that they were not on my camera which can be a logistical hindrance. ha. So, here it is.....my modern quilt in all its glory.

Like most of my quilts, there was not rhyme or reason, I just made twelve different cross blocks that I think speak well to each other and tied them together with the white sashing.

I love the wonky concentric quilting on this blanket, it lends well to super crinkling after washing and I love that!

This is the back... a little unexpected and wonky too. I love this quilt and have thought about making another with more cheerful solids and muted prints. It might be another few months before I share that one too! The quilt measures approximately 45"x60"

Happy Sewing!

yep. another pencil case.

2009-07-01T14:30:00.003-04:00

This is yet another "Picasso Pencil Case" from the book The New Handmade. The pattern calls for a 9" zipper and I didn't have one on hand so I shortened the pattern to accommodate a 7"zipper and it worked splendidly. I also used a quilted panel instead of using interfacing which has a sturdy structure without the crunch interfacing can sometimes give a project. I like how bright this one turned out.

If you read my last post you know that my 2 year old niece was bitten in the face by the family dog. I just wanted to update you that she is recovering quite well. Thank you for your kind words, they mean a lot. Dog bites can be especially scary and this was no exception. The ER doctor did a great job with the stitches and she will hopefully get them out on Friday or Saturday. Yea! As for the dog, my family is coming to the realization that he is not safe to have around small children (No kidding, right?). The dog's well being is certainly on the forefront of the family decision making these days. We don't want this to happen again and being proactive is our best solution.

As for the weather today, it is cloudy and raining. I have kept myself busy working on a not so little something for my nephew's birthday on Friday. I just started yesterday, so I hope to have it finished in time for the celebration. In which case, I will share photos(weather permitting) of this mysterious project.
'til then,
happy sewing!

a warning.

2009-06-28T08:02:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was full of excitement. My brother came home from Maine for his summer visit, we had a family barbecue, and a pretty bad dog bite. Our family sweetheart, Kit pictured above, wanted so badly to give the family dog a biscuit when he returned home from his walk. Apparently, my sister had just run in the house and my dad didn't know that Kit was outside when he came back into the yard returning from the walk. Kit armed with a biscuit tried to give it to the dog and when he took it in his mouth, then dropped it (as he always does), Kit picked it up again and attempted to feed it to him. The large Husky-Chow mix snapped at her face and got her really badly. She was rushed to the emergency room and came home with multiple stitches above and below her lips.

It truly breaks my heart that this little sweetheart had to go through this. Nobody wants to see a little one in pain or possibly permanently scarred. She couldn't eat last night because of the pain and swelling, but she wanted to, which was even more frustrating. I am riddled with frustration and guilt for having not been there when all of this happened. I can only imagine how my sister and dad feel about the incident.

Please let this be a warning to all of you with dogs and children. This could have been prevented by not letting a small child at eye level feed the dog. Children are often the victims of dog bites and apparently, more often than not, the family dog is the biter. I did a little research when I came home last night and found a website, Dogsbite.org which has statistics and information on dangerous breeds of animals and other interesting dog bite stories and prevention tips.

Be safe.

weekend sewing.

2009-06-26T08:41:00.004-04:00

I made this sweet little dress from Heather Ross' book Weekend Sewing. I made it with the intention of giving it to my two and a half year old niece. I used seersucker fabric that I just adore! I bought it a couple of years ago thinking that I would make myself a skirt out of it and it just sat there, so i thought this was a perfect project to see it used in garment making. I know that grey and yellow aren't exactly bright, fun 2 year old colors but my niece's favorite color is "lellow." I had a little difficulty taking full frontal photos of this dress so the top picture is a little fuzzy, go figure!

I love this pattern! It is super easy and the elastic thread provides instant gratification. I had taped Heather's appearance on the Martha Stewart Show and watched it in my studio while I was working away on this little cutie, very enjoyable indeed! This is the perfect summer play dress for all the shorties you know, I am definitely going to make another.....

Happy Sewing!

pencil pouch.

2009-06-22T09:28:00.002-04:00

I found a sweet little project for my Japanese fabric. (I'm not going to hoard it all!) It is the "Picasso Pencil Case" from Cassie Barden's book The New Handmade. It's a simple pattern with easy construction, and is helping to get me past my fear of zippers. I tend to have trouble with zippers, I either sew way too far away from the zipper that it looks funny or I sew too close and then I can't get a straight line. Practice, I suppose.
Have a wonderful Monday!

sunday stash.

2009-06-21T09:44:00.003-04:00

A little Japanese fabric love here to start this fine Sunday morning. I have been reading the 1/4 of an inch blog for a while and thought it was high time to participate in the Sunday Stash show and tell. I have a lot of fabric in my stash and I'm gonna share....

I don't have any particular plans for the Japanesse fabric, maybe blocks in a quilt, maybe various small projects, maybe I am too smitten with this fabric and will stare at it longingly, pet it, drape it, take pictures of it, and never cut into it. Just kidding. I will patiently wait for the right project to present itself. Until then, happy sewing!

summer handbag.

2009-06-10T21:02:00.007-04:00

Yesterday I was doing a little re-organizing and trying to get rid of some things that I haven't used in a while. Typically, for me this means shuffling through boxes, getting distracted by photos and keepsakes, then piling most everything back into the same box. There is no exception to this rule; I came across a bag of vintage curtains that I have had for some time and I threw a curtain in the wash and started this purse. Needless to say, the closet looks the same and I have acquired a cute lil' bag.

I made a little stamp tag with "cb" for craftyblossom on it. My friends are always asking me why I don't put little tags on my items and I guess I just think craftyblossom is too much of a mouthful. What do you think? Oh, i sewed some more pockets inside with the floral fabric but the photos didn't turn out... my luck.

On a different note, I received an email from a woman named Connie who is putting together a directory of quilting (maybe sewing too?) blogs. I only had a second to check it out, but it looks like she has quite the list going. She is going to add my name to the list, you should too! Get a gander here. I hope to be back here again soon!

green bib.

2009-05-22T14:40:00.002-04:00

I made this little burp cloth/bib set as a gift for a baby's-already-here-welcome-to-the-world-party! It seems so fresh and clean to me, with all the bright greens. It is made of linen and cotton/linen blend fabrics and the back of the cloth is a thick flannel so that it stays on your shoulder whilst burping the babe. I had them all folded neatly and wrapped in twine, when I realized I didn't take a photo to share with you so that's why there are creases in the finished product! I'm sure you can get past that..... I'll be back soon....
~happy summer!

a stroller quilt.

2009-05-20T18:50:00.005-04:00

Just to prove that I am still making things, I thought I would stop in and show ya my latest... I love this quilt. It measures about 32x36,and is jam packed with bright and bold colors. It seems most the quilts that I make have very little rhyme or reason. I like it that way! This has been in my mind for a while, but I wanted to make a smaller baby quilt than the 45x60 standard crib quilt. It is the perfect size for tucking around a little one in a stroller or over the lap at story time. I am happy with the way that it turned out...

A cheerful backing....

an inspiring shot...this angle makes me want to make an orange, brown and green quilt!

I've got lots more to share so I will see y'all soon.

~happy sewing!

girly messenger.

2009-05-03T09:54:00.003-04:00

I made this little bag for a bride-to-be to take on her destination wedding. I love how it turned out. It is roomy, sturdy, and light-weight. Even though I am not the girliest of girls, I have always loved the combination of pink and grey. I have had this floral fabric for a while and never knew quite what to do with it. When this project popped up, It was actually the first fabric I grabbed out of the stash.

The underside of the flap shown here, I also made a double pocket inside out of the same fabric. I love the little patch! I hope you all enjoy the last few hours of the weekend.....
~Happy Sewing!

giveaway winner.

2009-04-21T19:43:00.002-04:00

Congratulations Artsy Momma! Although I got a few comments that I really liked, I want to gift this little bundle of fabric to the artsy momma, who sounds like she could use a little push to get behind the machine again!

Thanks to those of you who commented I appreciate each and every one. Keep checking in, I am already thinking about my next giveaway.

If you haven't heard, Amy at Park City girl is having a bloggers quilt festival. It is certainly worth the visit! Myself and many, many others are participating.

a gift-away.

2009-04-18T07:56:00.005-04:00

This is my 100th post! In honor of it, I am giving away this little set of four quarter -yards of deliciousness. I feel like giving back (albeit small) to the blogging community that has given me so much. At the risk of sounding corny, the blogging community has fed my inspiration, and offered much encouragement during this process of crafty blogging. Thank you!

If you want this cute little bundle of fabric, leave a comment and in my endless search for inspiration, tell me what you would do with it. Please be sure that I can contact you via blog or email. I will announce a winner Tuesdayish. Thanks for stopping in!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T09:50:00.003-04:00

Well, Hello Strangers! I made this quilted pillow a couple of weeks and have been trying to post it since. Unfortunately, I have been experiencing problems with my computer. Thus, my absense. I was afraid to log into any of my email or blog accounts in fear that I (my computer) had a virus. I have been very busy making things, enjoying the sunshine and gearing up for a little giveaway! (happening very soon...)

Today I will be enjoying some time with my family, hopefully without incident. :) I will soon be back to blogging as usual and checking in on all of you too! For those of you who celebrate, have a wonderful Easter!

urban messenger.

2009-03-24T09:05:00.002-04:00

No, I did not get my machine back from the shop. My friend let me borrow her sewing machine so I didn't go completely crazy. Although, I I may be going slightly crazy over this cutie over this cutie of a messenger bag that I cranked out. I love this Echino fabric! I did not use a pattern, I totally winged this one. There are a couple of things that I will do differently when I make another, overall, I am thrilled with this one!

Linen lined!

Homemade patch!

Matches my house!

In other news, I am coming up on my 100th post! (this is no. 98) I am thinking something along the lines of a GIVEAWAY! I am not yet sure of what.....but it should be good! stay tuned...

~Happy Sewing!

Springing.

2009-03-20T12:40:00.003-04:00

The air is still chilly here, but the sun is shining! If you know anything about Michigan, you know that we have long, dreary, sunless winters. The people 'round these parts come alive when the sun shines bright... the same hold true for me!

I am stepping into spring with these fun prints I got from this etsy shop. They have an amazing inventory, fair shipping prices and great deals on fabric! This could be trouble.

In other springy news, my bulb is shooting up again. I forget what kind it is, my sister gave it to me for my birthday in November. It bloomed days after I got it, died, or so i thought. There are two new shoots coming up. Yea!

I am still waiting for my sewing machine to come back from the repair man. I feel like a fish out of water without it! So sad, I even have new fabric to play with.

For the rest of you with machines....

~happy sewing!

making messes :: making things

2009-03-18T09:30:00.004-04:00

Recently, a friend told me that they didn't think that I liked making things, instead I just like making messes. Untrue. In the process of making things, just so happens I make messes, BIG messes. My sewing room has spilled out into the dining room to make the best of the sunlight, and the projects in my dining room make their way to the living room for hand finishing. Next, they will be out in the front yard!

To my credit, don't most creative people have messy tendencies?

All kidding aside, I have been busy making things, although my sewing machine is in dire need of a good servicing. I don't dare do anymore top-stitching until the timing on my machine is corrected. 'til then......

...Happy sewing!

Final Draft.

2009-03-12T01:27:00.003-04:00

I have made two of these baby quilts in the last couple of weeks... I am glad the second was not as rough as the first. Apparently, chocolate brown linen should be washed before it is incorporated into a quilt. I just love the way that fabric crinkles when washed and dried after quilting that I didn't even think to do it. Having never had a quilting catastrophe (I would classify my first quilt as such), I must say that I learned my lesson. This quilt came out wonderfully and I am very happy with it. I hope that the recipient is as pleased as I am.

All wrapped and ready to go, this cutie is headed to live out its life in Chicago!

~happy sewing!

a quilt for my brother.

2009-03-07T08:29:00.005-05:00

My brother finally got this in the mail last week. He lives up in Portland, Maine and suffers through icy, long, cold winters that scream for quilts and beg for spring.

Aside from Robert Redford being incredibly good looking and an accomplished actor, he also has a little catalog called Sundance. It was here that I found my inspiration vis-a-vis Denyse Schmidt, whose work is featured in the catalog.

I paid little attention to color except when it came to distribution of red. I think it came out well.

There are both new and vintage fabrics incorporated in this quilt. I also made sure to use a few bits of Denyse Schmidt's fabric for good measure.

The quilt in the catalog is hand-quilted. I love my brother but......... you've got to be kidding.

~happy sewing!

en route.

2009-03-04T09:41:00.003-05:00

My brother should be receiving this package today....it was a long time coming. I made the card using scrap fabric, leftovers from his quilt. I hope he likes it!!

In other news, i feel i should explain my absence since my excitement from the previous quilt has fizzled. I finished it, it was perfect, until....I washed it. What was I thinking using a chocolate brown linen and not pre-washing? It ran. It ran faster than Jackie Joyner Kersee. Oh was I ever miffed....I used about $20 dollars worth of tide -togo pens, a whole box of shout color catchers, a whole bottle of spray and wash, endless detergents, Oxypen, you name it. It is now probably the cleanest, dye-stained quilt that ever was. I must be honest, the dye came out of all but one square which was white and the dye was stuck under the stitches. Frustration got the best of me and in between washings I started another quilt just like it. I am halfway done quilting it and hope to work on the binding tomorrow afternoon.

Lesson learned.

Quilt WIP

2009-02-24T09:11:00.003-05:00

The quilt is all pieced now, just last night I put together the backing and it is all basted and ready for quilting... I can't wait to see how it all comes together binding and all! It is so hard to leave a project this close to being finished to go to work. I know that I will be thinking about stitching it up all day long!

~happy sewing!

WIP

2009-02-20T10:12:00.004-05:00

I have all the pieces cut for a baby quilt that I am sewing up for a friend. I LOVE, LOVE, Love the colors. I have been wanting to use the Alexander Henry 2D Zoo fabric on top and I think this project is the perfect fit. I have seen other quilts made with this print in blues and greens and I really like how all the browns that I am using makes the other colors pop. I can't wait to get to this one. Hopefully I will make lots of headway this weekend.

Also, I have finished my brother's quilt and am stoked about showing photos except I haven't mailed it to him yet, and his birthday is tomorrow. I am a lame sister. Well, kind of. I did, after all make him a quilt. I am not even sure he checks in at Craftyblossom, but to play it safe I will not share until he receives it!
~Happy Sewing

little gnomes.

2009-02-10T09:36:00.003-05:00

This little burp cloth/bib set was made for a woman who just had two little gnomes (twins) on friday, both a boy and a girl. How perfect!? Anyway, my friend who commissioned them wanted something kind of gender neutral and I am hoping that these fit the bill. I love the Heather Ross fabric I used, although I have never used it for big projects. My yardage is all cut up at one end because i like to isolate the cuteness of each gnome.

I backed the burp cloths in cream colored flannel because it was cozy, and it won't slide off the shoulder of the burper. I like 'em.

In other news, I am working diligently on a quilt for my brother's birthday and I am starting to fear that i won't have it done in time. Luckily, the quilt doesn't require much forethought. Good choice for me.... :) Have a great day!

~happy sewing

quilted french press cozy.

2009-02-06T02:23:00.003-05:00

This was a little project out of a cute little book I picked up at my local quilting shop. The book is called The New Handmade. This book has awesome projects for both beginners and the seasoned sewer alike. The examples are made with super cute modern fabrics, I have been enjoying thumbing through it for inspiration. I decided to use patchwork, well, because I love it and I used up a bunch of scraps from my previous quilt. I also used khaki corduroy which is from a nice sized scrap that I cut from an old pair of pants, that I couldn't completely part with.

The cozy is fastened with hook and loop tape that I sewed on, it is really strong and makes for easy removal. Here's hoping for a hotter second cup....

Happy sewing~

strawberry shortcake quilt.

2009-02-03T09:18:00.008-05:00

When I was a wee one, I had a pair of footed Strawberry Shortcake pajamas. You know the painfully polyester variety, with the plastic foot treads that cracked after many washing? yep those were my favorite. When I was a little girl i had the doll and all of her strangely scented friends the strawberry house and garden. It was awesome. My dad started calling me his Strawberry Shortcake baby, and it stuck.... now, if he is feeling especially sweet, he will call me that. I have an affinity for this summery treat and all the memories it holds for me.

Nevermind that there are cherries on the back...The fabric went so well together!

No, it isn't the licensed Strawberry Shortcake here. Although, a vintage piece of Strawberry Shortcake fabric would be great in this quilt. This quilt has been in my mind for a while. It is constructed of both new and old fabrics, the strawberry prints are actually pretty old.

Happy Sewing~

a little indulgence.

2009-01-30T11:46:00.004-05:00

I was just in Chicago last weekend and I stopped in the cutest little fabric shop, the Needle Shop. A super inspiring, creative space. I picked up these new bits for my stash, a couple of them are already slated for a project that I have in mind and the rest will be put to good use I am sure. They were all on sale, which makes purchasing designer fabric a little more tempting. I petted these little pretties the whole way home.

On the crafty front, I started a new quilt last week and am machine quilting it and i am trying to get the hang of my walking foot. I have to say, all that bouncing is a little distracting and i can't seem to keep my lines very straight. Hmmmm...practice and patience..... see you all soon!

no paper napkins.....ever!

2009-01-22T14:52:00.006-05:00

So, I probably sound a lot like Faye Dunaway in Mommie Dearest, truth be told; I am every bit as passionate about my distaste for paper napkins as she is wire hangers. I am partly being thrifty and partly eco-conscious, although the cute factor is not so bad either. I am constantly thinking about how to tread a little more softly on this earth and my stomach flips just thinking about the disposable nation we live in. Disposable plates, cups, napkins, grocery bags, diapers, cutlery, even disposable toilet brushes! What? ? ? Yeah, toilet brushes. whatever. If every little bit helps, count me in... Make yourself some napkins!

You can find handmade napkin tutorials here, here, and here. Have fun, save a tree, live in luxury!

finally.

2009-01-20T09:17:00.005-05:00

Do you remember this post from a long time ago? Inappropriately titled; Moving Right Along. I had high hopes for whipping this bad boy out. Although, I did say I wasn't in a hurry.... One might think this quilt involved an elevated degree of difficulty considering how long it took me to finish. I am pleased as pie with the way that it washed and dried. I was thinking that I would machine quilt it at first but then the snow came and I wanted a handicraft for the couch and t.v. watching so I hand quilted it. Happy sewing!

kit's quilt.

2009-01-11T20:32:00.006-05:00

This was my Christmas present to my niece. She just turned 2 today! I tried to capture a photo of her with the quilt but her face is a blurr in every shot. (you try to get a 2 year old to sit still!) Kit's favorite color is "Lellow" So i wanted to make a quilt using a bunch of it and thought that primary colors would look nice together....

It is all hand quilted but I tied gold floss in the semi-vintage piece above. I can't really tell if it is a dog or a sheep holding a balloon. Whatever it is, I like it. It was my inspiration for this quilt.

Lots of "Lellow" on the back.

It folds up so nicely! This is one of my favorite fabrics that I used for the binding. It is so bright and cheerful. I especially love it next to the linen. All said, I am quite happy with the way this turned out.

apron tank.

2009-01-06T20:59:00.001-05:00

So, my favorite cutie is going back to school after a nice holiday break. She called me today and said that she needed to get crafty. I didn't do a stitch of sewing on this one folks! I just stood over her shoulder and tried my darndest to not be bossy. We found a tutorial for a similar one over at Just Tutes.... She has a really nice tutorial that we altered a bunch and came up with one that flatters Miss Rosie just fine. I think I am going to make one for my niece too! Later.

new pillow.

2009-01-04T08:52:00.003-05:00

I stitched a new pillow to match another pillow I had made a while back. It was lonely on my couch, so i thought it needed a friend. They get along very well together. The whole couch is happy now.

Now, If only I were as happy. I am aware that when screen printing, colors and dyes take differently and it is rare that prints from different lots will be identical but I cannot believe the difference in the two below. They are NOTHING alike! In my opinion, both these swatches should look like the one on top. It is earthy and warm, the newer on the bottom is soooo limey that it clashes with the rest of Amy Butler's fabric. I thought it looked a little different at the fabric shop, but I thought that perhaps it was the funky lighting and maybe it would look right at home. Hmmmfff! not the case. I am sure that i will get over this and find way to use the off-cast fabric, but jeez! This is my favorite print, EVER!

Can you tell the difference??? Am I just being picky?

sleepover :: birdie bag :: tagged

2008-12-31T10:35:00.010-05:00

The other night I had my oldest niece at my house for a sleepover. A great time was had by all. We watched movies, had pizza, oodles of sugar-coated-crap-shnacks, and a little crafty time as well. My niece picked out fabric and told me what she wanted her bag to look like and this is what we came up with......

It came out pretty well, at least how i imagined....

I was tagged by Amanda at made in a treehouse, here are 7 random things about me....

1. I can't keep laundry off my bedroom floor! (sometimes on the bathroom floor, occasionally it is on the dining room table, and randomly, socks find their way under the couch.)

2. My greatest fear is that someone will bump into me while I have a Q-tip in my ear.

3. I am a homebody, with the right supplies, I could stay home and craft and thumb through books and magazines for days.

4. I am a very sentimental person, probably the most sentimental in my entire family. I always catch grief for this, especially over the holidays.

5. I am useless without coffee in the morning. A habit I have considered breaking but think Why should i deprive myself of this simple pleasure?

6. I tell myself not to buy new fabric until the stash is near depletion, but I physically can't help driving to the fabric shop and taking a gander. Of course I come home with an armload every time. (I should probably seek help for this one!)

7. I am an avid collector of many things, however, I do not consider myself materialistic.

OK, there ya go, 7 random things about myself!

I am tagging :

Laura at Cutfinger Productions

Aima at Aimalohi

Joanne at ad libitum

Ayumi at Pink Penguin

The Tagging Game "Official" Rules

1. Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.

2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog; some random, some weird.

3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their name and a link to their blog.

(yea, I broke this one too!)

4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Holiday 2008.

2008-12-26T13:47:00.004-05:00

Happy Holidays everyone! It has been crazy around my house the past couple of weeks. I am already thinking about the holidays next year.... I am starting tomorrow with my gifts! I don't know why I do this to myself every year, I know what I want to make, I buy the supplies, (well in advance) sometimes I even finish the project but I stress myself out. every. single. time. I could be like the majority of people I know and buy things just to wrap them and give, but that's not my style. I am a little more old fashioned and think that giving heirloom quality, handmade, thoughtful gifts is the way to go. Don't get me wrong, i enjoy getting the gift cards and fun store bought grown up toys, but I can't hardly bring myself to give them.

I made popcorn balls and cocoa to give to the extended family. The popcorn balls are from a recipe that my grandma got from her next door neighbor years and years ago. They have been a staple of our Christmas gatherings for years. Now, too much work for my 90 year old grandma to make and I their biggest fan, have decided to take over making them. They are sooooo good.

And this year I attached little pillow-gift-tag-ornaments to everyone's gifts! I got the idea from another blogger, but I can't remember which one.. hmmmm. I should give her credit.

I'll see you in 2009!

on my desk and other finished goods.

2008-12-06T13:55:00.002-05:00

As promised, a long time ago, here are the pouches that I was planning to make. I love these little guys, they are so handy and discreet when you carry your "girlie" supplies if ya know what I mean....

So cute.

And on my desk, are a bunch of squares for a zig-zag quilt that I am really, really pumped about making. I just hope i don't lose my mojo, I've got about 160 squares left to make! Then, I can start piecing, but i am in no rush i want this one to be as close to perfect as possible.

Happy Sewing everyone.

another kidlet.

2008-11-28T11:20:00.002-05:00

I finished this last night as I was recovering from my turkey coma. It is another holiday gift for a special cutie that I know. I love the Amy Butler print in this one, it is super-energetic. It might be difficult to part with this one, considering it is my favorite colors and it came out so darned well.... But i am no scrooge, so to it's intended recipient it goes....

kidlets and cookies.

2008-11-24T22:28:00.005-05:00

After admiring the utility and adorability ( ha, that's not a word!) of jennifer's kidlet, i though it high time to make my own. This is part of my nephew's Christmas gift (he who loves all that is orange, camouflage and skully.) It is really simple and you can find the tutorial here.

I like the way it hangs easily over the doorknob. Really, really great idea!

And I also made some cookies because it was a cold, snowy day and all I want to do is feather my nest. I love these kind of days....ahhhh......

patchwork blanket.

2008-11-23T18:18:00.003-05:00

I finished the patchwork blanket! I ended up tying the layers together rather than quilting, so i don't think that i can technically call it a quilt. Or can I? Anyway it is finished and i love, love, love the way that it turned out. The inspiration was the little turtle flannel on the backside, oh so cozy and warm. The finished size is 40x40, perfect for an itty bitty baby. I am tempted to make a quilt for myself with a flannel backing to keep toasty this winter.