Paper Piecing #1

Here is my first attempt at paper piecing, and I'm moderately pleased with the outcome. I used this tutorial. Things that I have learned about paper piecing:
-Using scraps is great, just make sure that your scrap more than covers the shape.
-Before beginning ensure that you have enough of your background fabric.
-Regular printer paper works just fine.
-It's an addicting process!
Not perfect, but not bad for my first try. I can't wait to do more, I'm just not sure what I will do with the finished blocks. Maybe nothing. Oh and if I do another one with this pattern I think it would be really fun to do the triangles in white and the back ground piecing scrappy- sort of crazy quilt like.

PurdueAvenue

A lovely package was delivered to my door this morning, loaded with sewing lovelies. My friend Erin recently co-launched a creative blog, PurdueAvenue. And a couple weeks ago they had a giveaway, and well, I won!

The prize included everything to make a darling ruffled table runner (tutorial here)- canvas and muslin fabric, thread, pins, a measuring tape and...

a ruffler foot! I didn't even know that such a thing existed! I'm pretty excited and want to ruffling everything!

First up on my ruffling check list is a replica of this table runner. Head over and check out the fabulous things on PurdueAvenue.

Getting My Selvage Fix

My box of selvages was overflowing so I sat down and busted out a stack of spider web blocks. These blocks are the epitome of my selvage obsession. This project has been going on for 2 years now, and I've only made half the blocks I want to eventually make!

It's intense sewing, just ask my back- completely destroyed (at least for the next couple of days). Oodles of selvages, small seams, trimming and paper ripping.

When all those triangles come together they create fabulous spiderwebs. Very visually interesting if you ask me.

Eventually I hope to have enough to make a queen size quilt for my guest room. But I'm estimating that is still another 2 years away, and when I finish the blocks I'll still have to sew them all together and get it quilted, because I really don't want to quilt this myself.

All told I figure it will be a 5 year project, and I'm ok with that because it is an enjoyable diversion to pull out in between other projects. And a good selvage fix.

It's Been Awhile

I'll blame it on mojo, or the lack there of. I was really motivated and worked long and hard on two projects and they both were complete disasters. Which really put a damper on my crafting mood. Instead I've been doing a big of reading, which was entertaining as I avoided and eventually eased my way back into the sewing room.
First items on the docket was a baby gift set for a lovely friend of mine. Her little one is due to arrive in just a few days and I wanted to be certain that these were done in time.
This bib was a lot of work, but I loved doing it. The ironic thing is I pieced those zig-zags and then a few days later bought fabric that looks almost exactly the same! But I won't call it wasted time, just an exercise in micro-piecing.
I used burp rags more than anything else when Kennedy was born and recently I found this pattern and I really wanted to try it out. I love that it is contoured. Both burp rags and bib are back in white flannel.
Oh, and I'm in love with these little elephants, they are so adorable.

Heart Garland

(inpiration; darn that string hanging in the foreground)

I made myself a Valentine's decoration (perhaps my first ever or at least since Elementary School). I found a copy of Pride and Prejudice that was in pretty poor shape, which was the only way I could justify cutting up a book (I'm still feeling a bit like I need to go wash my hands/mouth out/conscience clean) and cut out a load of hearts. Then I layered them in 3's and sewed them all together.

After they were all sewn together I creased the the hearts along the seam for a little dimension and that was it! Fun and simple. So while I was at it I listed one into the Etsy shop too. Maybe you'd like one too, after all it is 100 feet of Jane Austen love.

Dear Ms Austen- please don't be upset that I cut up your book, I promise it was for a real good cause. Don't think of it as destrying think of it as upcycling!

Quilt Story Feature

Today my Quilt of Shaun is being featured over at Quilt Story! If you want to go check it out over then here is the link. Happy Wednesday!

My First Custom Order

Before Christmas a gal contacted me about making a table runner for her. She had bought a set of my Suburbia hot pads and wanted a table runner to match. She told me that the set would be for her daughter's 2nd birthday (she is getting a play kitchen). Which I think is a darling idea- must remember for Kennedy.

Luckily she didn't need it before Christmas, which would have been impossible, but I started on it the week I got home from vacation, and here is the final project. The 45 degree corners were a new and troublesome endeavor for me. But in the end I like how it turned out, especially those Ruby scallops for the binding.

So thanks Emily K for my first custom order!