A quick project

Here's a quick little project for the day!  I saw the idea for these bookmarks on the sewcanshe.com daily tutorial.  They are a great way to use fabric and ribbon scraps.  Check out the tutorial here.

Featuring some of my favorite Amy Butler fabrics.

Other fun things coming...

I found this great bundle of fabric at Tuesday Morning last week for $4.99!  What a deal!

It's soon time to make my annual "Cindy Apron", and I'm thinking this may show up in it.

Winter Sewing

A cold winter Sunday afternoon, in my opinion, is a great time to enjoy some sewing.  Two projects were on my list today, and I'm glad to say they are both finished!  The first project was to finish the Sister's Ten BOM January block in the blue fabric.  I love how it looks!

Grandmother's Frame (January's block)

Grandmother's Frame (middle) with Susannah (February's block)

Because I was on a roll with the sewing this afternoon, I pulled out a project I had started a few weeks ago.  It all began when I won a lovely selection of fabrics from Silly Mama, which included a cute collection of 2 1/4 inch squares by Aneela Hoey called "Posy."  I decided to make a notebook cover for the journal I use to record my completed projects.  I did not use a pattern for this one, and I learned things along the way, so....there are imperfections which I normally would not post, but... sometimes it's good to see it all -- imperfections included!

Fabric collection - Posy by Aneela Hoey

Quilting on back

I used a Moda fabric called "Flirt" for the inside flaps, binding and pockets.

The completed inside.

The outside -- oh dear!  This is where you can see how things went a bit crooked!

My sewing journal. 

The inside.  

I tried to think of a way to do the journal with pockets and not having to use a binding, but just couldn't figure it out this time.  Next time I'll check out some tutorials on line! :)

Susannah

..."Oh, Susannah, oh won't you come for me..."  I can't help but sing that song when I see the name of February's block for the Sister's Ten Block of the Month (BOM) club. My Susannah block is made with Ravenna, a beautiful collection of fabric by Dear Stella.  When I saw this fabric I immediately knew this is what I wanted to use for the Sister's Ten quilt.  I had already started it in pinks and mauves, using fabrics I had on hand, but decided I'd rather like to make one using this lovely fabric.  Maybe two quilts will emerge from this project -- one pink, and one blue -- or maybe I'll make a pillow out of the pink block, and just do one quilt!  You know the old saying, "Time will tell!"  This will be a year-long project, so I'm going to try and figure out how to set up a separate page just for this quilt-along.  Check out genxquilters to see the tutorial for the Susannah block.

Susannah -- February blocks

Across the Pond Sew-along - February

The Across the Pond sew-along project for February was announced by Amy of Amy Made That!  This month's project is anything with hearts!  I was thinking hearts would be a part of the project, and got busy right away.  While I took our live Christmas tree down after New Years, I still have a "stand" of three small trees in the dining room.  The glow from the light is so pretty on these winter nights.  I decided if I was going to keep these trees up through February, I might as well add some hearts!  I started by making a few felt hearts.

Then I saw an idea for a heart similar to this on someone's blog (...I should have pinned it, because I can't find it again to give credit!).  The project I saw used paper hearts and beads.  I had some pink fabric left from my fabric rose project, and decided to give it a try with fabric and buttons.

I need to work on my photography skills!  :)

To make the hearts, begin by pressing the rough side of an iron-on adhesive to the wrong side of your first fabric.

After pressing, remove the protective paper. 

Press the wrong sides together of both fabrics to bond together.

Tie a button or bead to the bottom thread, and put a knot in the
top thread to form a "hanging" loop.
Press the heart sides open to form the 3D effect.

Cut three hearts, and sew a line of stitching down the center, leaving long threads on the top and bottom.  

Grandmother's Frame

This year I've decided to join the Sister's Ten Modern Block of the Month Club.  The quilt theme is centered around your favorite women -- sisters, Grandmother, Mother, friend, etc. The January block is called Grandmother's Frame.  Originally I had decided to use up scraps of fabric I already had, and for this first block that is what I've done.  In the meantime, I've found a beautiful line of fabric in blue and am awaiting its arrival.  I think I'll be making two quilts as I go along!

Grandmother's Frame

Recently I won a give-away from SillyMama Quilts.  This is the very fun package of goodies I received.  More fun ahead!

Fabric Roses

Today is a snow day!  When my boys were young and in school we loved snow days.  My kids are grown and living elsewhere, but I still love having a snow day.  On this snowy morning I'm bringing out some flowers that I "grew" this week.  The pattern is from Joel Dewberry's book, Sewn Spaces.  

The project beginnings ...

Half way there ...

On the first flower I followed the scallop pattern provided. On this one, however, I tried a free-hand scallop. It was much easier for me, and gave it a "unique" edge.  The end project is basically the same.

Now for the finished product -- three flowers in three vases!  Which one do you like best?

Across the Pond Sew-along

January seemed like the right time for me to join in on a new sew-along.  Several friends that I "met" through the Zakka sew-along started one called Across the Pond.  You can check out each of these links to read about. http://www.eamylove.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-little-birdie.html http://thepatchsmith.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/tweet-start-to-2013.html. If you are inspired by beautiful sewing projects, you will enjoy each of these sites!  Across the Pond sew-along features a monthly project, which is then blogged about and/or posted at Flickr.  Check out the Across the Pond Flickr photo pool here. 

Introducing my addition to this month's project -- or should I say flock!

Bird pincushion designed by Joel Dewberry.

My birds seeing how they look with the "originals!"

The birds were a quick and easy sewing project.   I'm already looking forward to next month's project.