Sew Pretty for Little Girls....

Today is my day to share with you a new book by Alice Caroline!

Sew Pretty for Little Girls

This is a collection of over 20 sewing and quilting projects for little girls using Liberty of London fabric! And if you have worked with Liberty fabric you know just how amazing it is to work with!

  

 My sister and I knew, if we wanted fabulous fabrics in our Sunny Day shop...we needed to include Liberty of London Tana Lawns.  If you haven't had the chance to experience Liberty of London, I highly recommend it. They are amazing! And Alice Caroline has some fabulous projects using Liberty...many requiring only small bits!

I chose to make an Isabel Basket out of two of my favorite Liberty prints. For the exterior of my basket I used our Tiny Poppytot and for the handles, Glenjade in Teal.      

  

 The instructions in this book are clear and easy to follow...

The Isabel Basket would be perfect to catch hair bands or jewelry.  The instructions even include two sizes!

I changed the handles just slightly, but I think it would be adorable to use as an Easter basket or a place for softies to rest.

 Even big girls would love to have a Liberty basket sitting on their dresser!

   

You can find the book on Amazon or from Alice herself!

http://www.alicecaroline.co.uk/

http://alicecarolineblog.co.uk/

And you can follow future blog hop posts or look at those you may have missed:  

Mon 2nd – Alice Caroline

Wed 4th – Crafting Not Cleaning

Thu 5th – Sew4Home

Fri 6th – Bloom

Sat 7th – A Spoonful of Sugar

Sun 8th – Fabricworm

Mon 9th – Pieced Brain

Tue 10th – Pretty Nostalgic

Wed 11th – Olivia Jane Handcrafted

Thu 12th – One Shabby Chick

Fri 13th – Sew Creative

Sat 14th – The Last Piece

Mon 16th – Victoria Findlay Wolfe Quilts

Tue 17th – Sew Crafty Jess

Wed 18th – Stitchery Dickory Dock

Fri 20th – Molly Flanders

at 21st – Fabric & Flowers

Sun 22nd – A Bright Corner

Mon 23rd - Follow the White Bunny

Tue 24th  - Straight Grain

Wed 25th  - Sew Justine Sew

Thu 26th  - Tracey Jay Quilts

Fri 27th  - Feather’s Flights

Sat 28th  - Monkey Do

Sun 29th  - Miss Print

Mon 30th  - This Blog Is Not For You

Tue 31st  - Sew Scrumptious

Happy Friday!

 

mary

 

The Sew Together Bag!

Well, I jumped on the Sew Together train!

I am sure you have all seen this fantastic little bag floating around on the blogs and IG...

The pattern is by Sew Demented 

It really isn't as scary as it looks, but I did have the fabulous sew-along tutorial by Quilt Barn close at hand...

First I pieced and quilted my own fabric for the exterior of the bag...

 

I love this scrappy piece with some of my favorite fabrics!

I followed the instructions and used some colorful zips!

  and soon a bag took shape...

I attached my binding (the most difficult part) by machine...

it turned out fine, but the next time I will try attaching first by machine and then hand stitching to finish.

 

I know it looks a bit intimidating but it really wasn't so bad...

and it's just a great little bag!

I love it!

I also played with a bit of Liberty and ball fringe for a simple, yet oh-so-lovely pillow!

I am hoping to visit the Country Living Fair this weekend!  Have you ever been?  

happy thursday!

mary  

A Big Thank You!!!

Thank you to everyone who participated in our Parade of Snowballs!!! 

It is great to see all the variations!  And if you are just getting started or haven't quite finished, remember the Flickr group is still up...so you can still post your progress!

It has been a busy few weeks around here...with family reunions....another nephew on the way....and a little something wonderful I have been working on for the last few months.

All of this has made the sewing somewhat disjointed...

I have been sewing...it just hasn't all jelled...somehow Liberty makes all the world seem right again, doesn't it?

Our Fall weather will soon be upon us (YAY) and I have been thinking of gifts, quilts, things to keep me busy....

How about you?  Any post-Labor Day goals?

xo mary 

Wednesday....WIP's and a little Liberty Love

Still tinkering with these cute shapes...wee wonky bow-ties.

and playing with some lovely Liberty....

Betsy....

Just a couple of reminders!

We will wrap up the Flowering Snowball Along on the 24th.

And be sure to keep following all the fun on Sewvivor!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

mary

Wow! It's August?

Oh my!  I can't believe this is my first post of August!  And it won't be much of a post ;)

I wish I could say I have been busy with some exciting travels or adventures, but that just isn't the case. Not even a whole lot of sewing going on...

I have been getting ready for our family reunion at the end of the month. The last day of the reunion will be at my house, so time polish the silver and prepare the menu...hehe! Do you have family reunions in the summer?          

I have taken a little time to play with a yummy pile of Liberty...

The beauty of Liberty is well worth the cost.  It is amazing to sew!

 Soon, I will have some fun makes to show you...

And I have extended the last day of the Flowering Snowball Along to August 24th.  We will wrap up the quilt along just before the official end to summer!  I am looking forward to Fall!

Before I leave....if you haven't looked at the first round of Sewvivor, you really must have a look!  How inspiring and amazing!  

 

You can find the post here....    

Rachel of Family Ever After is my superhero! Four adorable kids...three kidlets and one brand new baby....and she still has the energy to host Sewvivor!  Well done, Rachel!

Have a wonderful wednesday!

mary     

Liberty and Linen = Love

Have you noticed my new header?

  I love this Pinched Pincushion that I designed for my own little Valentine's Day Celebration....

I love pincushions!  They are quick to make and so appreciated when gifted to a stitchy friend!

Today I put together a little tutorial so you can make your own Pinched Pincushion or make one for a friend!

First you need a heart.  My heart template is about 3.5 inches wide and 3.5 inches tall.  I traced my heart onto Freezer Paper.

gather the supplies

1. Freezer paper or card stock for heart template

2. Linen or fabric for the base...a FQ or a quarter yard is plenty

3. little piece of Liberty for the heart

4. Perle cotton or embroidery floss for the decorative stitching {I love Valdani}

5. Cotton stuffing or Fiberfill for stuffing the pincushion and a small piece of batting

6. Needle for hand stitching with Perle Cotton...my favorite is Fons and Porter Utility Needles

6. General sewing supplies

Make heart template and cut out....press the waxy side of the Freezer Paper to the right side of the Liberty fabric.

carefully cut out around the template and peel the template from the Liberty...now you have a Liberty heart.

Cut out the parts for the pincushion {Linen}.  You will need {2} 5 inch squares....and {4} 3" X 5" rectangles
I also cut a 5 inch square of low loft cotton batting

    
Use a dab of basting glue or just a pin to secure the heart to the center of one 5 inch square and a few more dabs to secure your 5" square batting to the wrong side of your heart square.

Stitch around the inside of the heart with perle cotton to keep your heart in place...

 
and stitch around the outside if you like!

Once the top is stitched you are ready to work on the sides...
take the 4 sides pieces {3" X 5"}.  Begin with two sides, right sides together, and stitch the short ends leaving a 1/4 inch open at the top and the bottom of the short end.  This process will be familiar if you have made a fabric cube.

  

 Remember to leave a 1/4 inch open at the top and the bottom of the short side...and backstitch to reinforce the stitching at both ends.
Add all four sides together in the same manner and, finally, stitch the first side to the fourth side to link all the sides together.

   
Press each seam open.

With right sides together match up the top of the pincushion {with the heart} with one of the sides.  Do not begin stitching at the corner....rather begin 1/4" in from the corner and end 1/4" from the other corner...back stitch both the beginning and the end of this line of stitching

    
Keep stitching along each side of the top square, matching the sides to the top and leaving a 1/4 inch open at both corners.  You do need to stitch each side separately...you can't just travel around the square and pivot at the corner.  The stitching needs to begin a 1/4 inch from each corner and end a 1/4 inch short of the next corner.  You will not have a hole at the corners because your stitching will meet as long as you keep accurate seam allowances.
Once you have finished the top, place the bottom 5 inch square on the bottom of the sides and continue in the same manner...the only difference being that you must leave a 2 inch opening in the middle of one side!                  

This is very important for stuffing the pincushion!
You should now have something that looks like a deflated linen cube!

  

Stuff the cube full of stuffing. Hand sew the opening closed. 
Now the fun part!
Pinch the top edges of the cube {a little less than a 1/2 inch} and using a running stitch...stitch up a little pinched edge!  I didn't even bother to bury the knot...just leave it on the outside and trim the tail close.

     
Go all the way around the top - pinching and stitching.  Then do the sides and lastly the bottom....pinch and stitch, pinch and stitch!

   
How cute is this?  I love it!
If you make one, I would love to see your pincushion!

happy pinching!
mary :)

Working Hard....Hardly Sewing......

I like a simple life...not too busy....orderly....

and it seems the last few months my life has been anything but....

I have so many irons in the fire...I can barely figure out what to tackle next.

 

But as time ticks on....each year a certain day creeps up on me and smacks me head on....it is that reminder that another year has been layered on these old bones...

 

As an early celebration, my dear bloggy friend, Susan...sent a very nice - very heavy package my way.  

 

 

Suz knows me well. Isn't it funny how a friend you have never met in person can know you so well - just through emails....

 

The book, The French Dog by Rachael McKenna,  is gorgeous...beautiful pictures of France and the sweetest pictures of hugable, adorable pups!

 

 

so cute!

 

 

awwwww...

 

And then she threw in a couple of precious extras...a sewing sisters notepad and a teeny koala button!

So sweet...

 

I was also the recipient of a very nice collection of solid cottons...from Oakshott...

I will just give you a sneak peek here and talk to you more about that later...I want to dedicate a post to this magnificent fabric...it is fabulous!!!

 

 

and, while I haven't had much time for machine piecing, I have had a few minutes every now and then to work with some luscious Liberty!

 

 

   

  hope to see you again tomorrow!

mary 

Brain Drain....

Ahhhh....I just can't seem to stick to just one project at a time.  In fact, I can't seem to stick to two or three projects at a time.  I am just going to tell myself this latest dip into the quilt pool is just for fun....we will see where it goes from there.

I have been looking at Pinterest...which can be a great source of inspiration....and if you are like me, it can also be torture.  There are so many amazing quilts, and crafts, food....goodness! 

Found a quilt I rather like....

So with my trusty freezer paper I have been trying to figure out what seems like a simple block....block seems fairly simple, but how the quilt goes together turns out to be a bit baffling.

It is a vintage quilt and I am fairly certain it was hand pieced.  Honestly, I think it would be easier to piece together by hand. 

I am really not certain how the rows are added....I can't see how it is done without a Y-seam....again, I think this would have been easier to put together by hand.  Some things just are. 

I will keep working with it and then I will post more proper pictures.  It is awfully cute....very scrappy and patchwork-y and cute :)

And speaking of cute...my UN-CHEERY Basket Quilt is sporting one of my favorite Liberty fabrics....I only had a tiny bit left so this sweet little basket gets to wear it!

  

Busy weekend ahead for us...hope you have fun plans as well...

mary :)

Inspired by a name....

Been thinking a lot about names lately, probably because I know several folks expecting munchkins soon...so we have been throwing names about.  I love my mother's name and have gotten the notion to design a quilt that will fit her name...of course when I think of my mother's name, I also think of her parents and why they decided to name her this.  I think of her humble beginnings.  So a quilt bearing her name would have to have elements of her personality. 

So here are the beginnings of the ELOISE quilt....humble beginnings...for and inspired by Eloise...

She loves Liberty fabrics...so I have to throw in some Liberty....she loves dots as much as her daughter.  I did not always have such a love affair with dots.  As I recall, as I young girl I would turn up my nose each time she would look at a dress or skirt with polka dots....we have come full circle.

And I have to add a vintage feedsack...she grew up in South Eastern Kentucky...and life for her was not luxurious!  Although she would not say it was difficult....in fact, I am sure she would say it was pretty simple...

That is where I am for now.  Three works in progress!!!  geesh!!!

Mary