Christmastime Sewing

My wall hanging was begun at the beginning of the Covid time. I ran out of perl cotton. I absolutely could not order any online. So the quilting around the tree edges was completed with 3 different kinds of threads. I guess it marks what year I made this wall hanging with an easy way to remember the time, right?

The fabrics are mostly 2019 Walmart prints. A few others, but I wanted to make something quickly and cheaply. That whole Covid thing threw a monkey wrench into my plan. It drew out the work time on this by several months of waiting and hoping for stores to restock.

These wonky Christmas trees were all the rage last year. Maybe they are still popular this year? Simple and easy to sew, and very happy.

I’m also trying to sew flag bunting for all the holidays. I love these. When they start to look a little worn out, I rotate them to outside the house where they begin their life anew and make outside a little happier.

That red gingham is Walmart and Pioneer Woman. Did you know Pioneer Woman has a few fabrics out? The gingham is perfect. I may have to buy a little bit more so I’m ready for Valentine sewing….

Happy Christmas birdies, too. Love those! I don’t remember the name of the fabric line–I may have bought a fat quarter, which did not have the selvedge edge. Little moose were also last year’s Walmart fabric. This year my local store isn’t stocking holiday fabrics–I don’t know if that’s nationwide or not. No Thanksgiving or Halloween fabric, which was a disappointment.

Oh, and do you see the jingle bells sewn between each point? I was mixing things up, instead of using my usual button embellishments.

Are you ready for Christmas? ???

red, white, and blue lap quilt

I keep gravitating to red, white and blue fabrics. Americana is probably my favorite kind of quilt. Consequently I have a lot of red and white fabric (red always says BUY ME) but finding suitable blues is a little more challenging. I have to actively seek out blues.

All my prettiest florals, and a few sweet childhood prints.

Red, white and blue perfect for summertime Americana.

The overall dimensions are 54″x44″ inches.

The double-fold binding is a fabric called “Barbershop.” Red, white and blue stripes! I was so lucky to find this perfect match.

Listed in my etsy shop now! 🙂

evening sewing

I’ve been working on a new wall hanging for summer.

Can you guess what it will look like?

(I bet you figured it out.)

Romantic Log Cabin Lap Quilt

Remember I posted a while ago that I was making a log cabin quilt with all my romantic colors? I had cut strips and strips (and strips and strips) for a couple days, so that my fabric was all ready to go when I had the time to make something.

(Yes, I still have plenty left for a couple more quilts.)

I used all the soft florals in pastel colors, keeping the blue and green “cool” colors to a minimum.

I think it has a shabby chic yet modern feel to it.

I hand-tied it at the centers and corners of the blocks, rather than quilting. After washing and drying, the layers will fluff up softly.

Do you love the reverse side fabric? I do. I found it at Walmart, and bought a whole lot–I made pillowcases for me out of it, too, because the design reminds me of pretty vintage sheets.

Here’s a close-up of some of the pretty romantic florals. I love all these fabrics so much.

The dimensions are 42″x52″. Perfect for a lap quilt, or toddler blanket, or to add a little romance to your living room. It’s in my Etsy shop now. Thanks for looking. 🙂

drunkard’s path quilt

I have been in love with Denyse Schmidt fabrics for a long time. I see her described as “vintage” style, but I think that’s true only insofar as the 1930s borrowed a lot from Japanese designs. Looking at my assortment below, do you think so, too?

I knew I wanted to use a quilt block that was fairly large, so the fabric wouldn’t be broken up into bitty pieces, but showcased the fabric designs.

I love a drunkard’s path block, so went with it.

I had enough of the echinacea fabric to back two lap blankets. Really really love this fabric.

The finished size is 50″x58″, and it is quilted in my usual diamond pattern.

Terrific color combo to take one into autumn.

It is unwashed, so has yet to fluff up and crinkle in that delightful quilty way. Top of the line fabrics will get softer and softer over time.

Available in my etsy shop. 😀

rainbow log cabin quilt

I look at a *lot* of quilting blogs, looking for color and pattern inspiration.

I fell in love with this quilt, so pulled out my fabric strips and set to work making something like it.

I had to say, “Hmm, I don’t have enough orange. Or enough yellow.” One thing about quilting, is you never have enough fabric. There’s always a shade or pattern missing from your stash. Or is that just me? So I broke the “use only what you have” rule, and bought a little orange. And a little yellow.

I love those tree trunks holding up the porch roof. Imperfect, following the “use what you have” rule.

 

Close up, the eye loses the rainbow pattern. The log cabins seem a colorful jumble, without intent.

Step back, and the pattern pops into place.

 

 

Are you a quilter? I was just reading this article about how quilting is good for your health. I’m sure you will nod along and say, “Yes, that’s true,” as you read it.

 

When I got to the end of sewing this one, I thought, “Whew, it will be a looooong time before I sew another log cabin quilt.”

It was that much work.

But I’m ready to tackle another one already, because there are so many possibilities.

The reverse side is plain gray, with a stripe of patchwork brightness.

You can see the hand-stitches that complete the quilting.

 

The finished dimensions are 61″x61″, but it will probably shrink down to 59″ after it’s been washed a couple times and fluffed in the drier.

This quilt is a good size for a twin bed, or an extra-large lap blanket.

So pretty. Looking at it makes me happy.

 

I have listed this quiltin my etsy shop. I hope it makes you happy, too. 🙂

baby quilt in forest colors

I had in mind a “walk through the woods” when I pulled the scrap fabrics to use for this baby quilt. Colors to remind one of nature, with a few florals and little animals to play I-Spy with.

I hand-quilted the layers in a diamond-pattern, as you can see above.

My intent was to be gender-neutral, because nature is for everyone.

Don’t you love the backing fabric? It’s called “Echinacea Glow” and it comes in many different color-ways. One of them is heavy on the blue/purple and just POPs, but I had in mind this sort of natural colors so chose the olive background version. I’ll probably go back and buy the purple, too, but I don’t know what I’d use it for–it’s loveliness makes it hard to pass up. 🙂

I have listed my baby quilt in my etsy shop. The dimensions are 35″x39″, with all new fabrics, unwashed. Very lightweight, perfect for spreading on the floor for diaper changing or traveling. The more you wash it, the softer and crinklier it will become.

Thank you for looking. 🙂

a table runner with little birds

I bought the bird fabric with no project in mind–I just thought they were so sweet, and that the right project would eventually come along. The fabric’s name is “All a Twitter” although I don’t remember the manufacturer. The name is such a natural, it was hard to forget. 🙂

Then I was cutting up fabric, just to have it ready to go for future projects. The little bits were left-overs from 5″ squares. I cut these into 2″x5″ pieces and set them aside, thinking they’d be good for something. I’ve got a pile about 6-inches high, so there’s plenty for projects. I did not cut up the bird fabric, thinking it would be good as a larger piece for something….

Cutting up fabric and having it ready to go paid off. It is so easy to find exactly what I want (or close enough) and I don’t have to fool around with looking through fabric piles, and cutting each piece. It’s all ready to go and makes the project quick and satisfying!

I had just the right little pieces to accent the colors present in the birds.

Lovely for fall, or late summer.

The dimensions are 41″ by 13″, with a layer of cotton batting between two fabric layers.

It’s for sale in my etsy shop. 🙂

sewing with Tilda fabrics

I’ve found my sewing mojo, and have been inspired by new fabric purchases.

Tilda’s collection “Bon Voyage,” released earlier this spring, features bunnies. It’s been at least five years since she’s used rabbits in a collection, so of course I had to stock up!

I love the bunnies, but was a little less enthused by the medallion prints. They left me sort of “meh,” you know? That’s all on me, of course, and I’m sure lots of other people are excited by the patterns.

Now that I have so many different Tilda fabrics to work with, it was time to make a quilt!

Flying geese allowed the pieces to be large enough to let the fabric patterns take center stage. Each block is 9″ by 4-1/2″.

I think I used Tilda collections, Apple Butter, Harvest, and Bon Voyage. I know there’s a fourth one there, but I don’t recall the name. There’s little birds, and of course the bunnies.

The reverse is a fabric named Fable, I don’t recall the manufacturer, which features bunnies and squirrels. I love the color, an ethereal sky blue. Of course I love being able to showcase so many bunnies in one quilt! I purchased the fabric from Lark Cottons in Portland, she has a very responsive shop and is quick to ship.

Tah-dah! I finally purchased labels for my sewing! I waffled over the name I should use, and decided since I’ve been using mybunnies3 for my painting shop name for 20 years, I’d keep it up for my sewing, too.

The finished size of the quilt is 51″x57″ before its first washing. A good size for a lap quilt, or to throw over the back of your couch. The cotton batting is summer weight. I’ve listed it in my etsy shop.

Perfect for a picnic blanket, or just to make any place a little bit more lovely.

🙂

shutdown sewing

The frustrating thing about the stores being closed, or low on stock, is that even though I stocked up on thread going into this thing (and so glad I did), I still ran out of fabric before projects were completed. I don’t like to buy too much of anything, but why in the world I didn’t think I should buy a whole bolt of white cotton in advance of this thing–well, I sure should have thought that one through.

I use white all the time. I like quilts accented with white. But I didn’t, so I have projects half completed, waiting.

I tried shopping other vendors online, fully knowing that *white* can mean many, many, many different hues. I need exactly the same brand as I initially bought, or the white won’t match. But I’m trying. My first attempt didn’t match. Luckily, I bought enough to complete another project I’ve been waiting to get to.

I bought an assortment of white from another vendor, but it’s been 18 days and it hasn’t shipped yet. I’m on pins and needles about that.

So, just to use my time wisely, I went through the fabric I actually DO have on hand. And I cut it up. Into squares, into strips, and started playing with it.

Every day, I try to find a way to use my precious time wisely.

Slow down, don’t be impatient, use what you have.

Probably the way we should always live, but forget to.