Fat Quarter Shop
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Granny Square finish
Finally a fully finished object! I got my Granny Square SAL finished and framed it in this quite dramatic frame.
I loved choosing the colours for this, picking out my favourites and calmly stitching along. One square a week was a relaxed pace.
I would have happily kept on stitching these squares, it's quite addictive and a really big piece full of granny squares would look amazing. Maybe one day.
With other projects to get back to though (and oops maybe start!), I stuck to four. Also I liked the idea of keeping it small within a bigger frame.
In my search for frames, I happened upon this black and gold frame from photo frames & art on Etsy. I got the 8 x 8" frame with mount, which is for a 4 x 4" photo. They have so many great frames and a lovely range of sizes. It was a reasonable price and came really nicely packaged. Highly recommend, they are a family run business and the frames are made in the UK.
Currently this piece is sitting on a ledge, as the frame has a stand, but it also has a hook so it will get hung on the wall eventually. I can't be expected to get pieces both framed and hung surely?!
The Granny Square Cross Stitch pattern is free, you can download it from Fat Quarter Shop.
Have a fabulous weekend and don't forget to join in with the #SaturdayNightCraftAlong over on Instagram!
Sunday Stash: a bit of everything
I've been enjoying a return to what started as my 100 day project, hand piecing my Merrow Croft quilt (pattern by Margaret Mew). If you haven't done any hand piecing before, I have a how-to with lots of tips in my hand piecing tutorial. Using some of my treasured hand printed fabrics by Karen Lewis and Lucy Engels, I'm enjoying the neutral cool vibe of these pieces.
So I'm using up my stash but I'm also adding to it...
Granny square stitch along
Sew alongs and stitch alongs are always great fun! I enjoy seeing people make a pattern their own or even if they follow the pattern exactly, it's nice knowing you're creating something with others and it helps keep you on track for a finish.
The most recent ones I've joined in with were a year long but the Fat Quarter Shop is doing a summer Great Granny Squared-Along that is cute and simple. With patterns designed by Lori Holt, you can make a quilt, crochet or cross stitch piece. There's something for everyone and they make for good scrap busting projects too!
The Granny Square Cross Stitch pattern is free, you can download it from Fat Quarter Shop.
The pattern lists the colours for DMC and Aurifloss colours. I'm using what I have and picked out a selection of Aurifloss in colours that I love. I grouped them into 4 and sort of planned which colours to use where, though I might change up the positions. Kind of random but I like them all so it should work out.
Here's my first granny square stitched up:
From the centre, Aurifloss in 2435 Peachy Pink, 6728 Cinnabar, 2880 Pale Green and 6722 Sea Biscuit.
And I just finished my second square:
From the centre, Aurifloss in 6723 Fairy Floss, 2930 Golden Toast, 4020 Fuchsia and 2606 Mist.
I'm stitching on 32ct Linen in Natural by Zweigart, using two strands of floss over two. I know linen isn't everyone's favourite (I'm looking at you Kimberly!) but I really like doing 2 over 2. For as long as my eyes can take it, I will keep stitching on linen. I do use Aida too, I recently finished a project on Aida that I will share soon! That's one of the great things about cross stitch, you can use whatever count or type of fabric you like. It may come out smaller or larger but that doesn't ever concern me. I have to admit, I haven't been sewing quite as much but I know I will switch things up and return to my quilty projects when the mood strikes.
I'm super content when I'm cross stitching, focused but chilled. If you haven't ever given it a go, this is a great pattern to start you off! Download the free pattern and join the SAL!
have courage and be kind
Finishing a project is such a joy! But then so is starting a project... and working on a project, no wonder I am always making ;)
This finish is a special one for a few reasons. The cross stitch kit is from Stitchsperation, I love her kits and had already completed one which you can see here. She hand paints the fabric and not only is that really cool but it means you get a unique piece of fabric to stitch on. I chose 28ct evenweave and as a change I stitched this in hand rather than using a hoop.
Now I really like my Q-snap frames and won't be giving them up completely but I also really like stitching in hand and I'll probably just decide on a project by project basis what I feel like doing.
New to me, I also used the sewing method to stitch this design. Usually I stitch one cross at a time, I don't like the other way of making half stitches and going back on yourself. But the sewing method is a bit of a revelation and is quicker too (not that speed matters). I really enjoyed stitching this way, although on occasion I did do my usual one cross method (for travelling in a certain direction), I know you can turn the work around but I hate that - my brain literally can't cope and my counting goes off.
If you cross stitch and haven't tried the sewing method, give it a go! I watched this YouTube video tutorial on the Fat Quarter Shop FlossTube channel and seeing Priscilla, Chelsea and Kimberly each show how they stitch was so helpful. Kimberly's tip of loosening the frame to stitch this way really works and that's what I'm doing with another project I have on the go!
The Stitchsperation cross stitch kits comes with thread, though as I have a lot already I requested she didn't send any so I can use what I already have. This was stitched with Aurifloss #2692 using 3 strands of floss over two. I love how it turned out!
I framed it in an Ikea frame and hung it on the gallery wall we have in our dining room. Eventually I need to frame more of my completed projects and then hang them on the opposite wall. It would be nice to have the wall dedicated to stitchy things so I can look at them as I'm at my sewing machine (or eating dinner! - small house means multiple use dining room!).
In other news, I've been joining in with CraftyMonkies over on instagram for the #monkiemotivation photo challenge. I can't always do it everyday because, well life gets in the way but there are some really fun prompts to inspire you creatively and they are a great way to play and escape for a bit.
Yesterday they suggested making a colour palette using the website Coolors, it's so easy to use and I really enjoyed playing about with it. I actually have photographs that I've taken while we've been out walking, mostly of things with colours that inspire me and this would be a great way to pull a palette together from those pictures. There are inbuilt pictures too, so you can scroll through those to find colours you love if you're not into taking photographs.
I went with this photograph and use the colour picker to select colours that I liked and I think they make a nice palette!
This selfie was taken with my husband yesterday as we celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary! We had a quiet night in and ordered a takeaway (after earlier making pancakes with the kids!). A lockdown anniversary celebration.
Finally I just wanted to let you know that I have some upcoming classes with CraftyMonkies, my next class is Stitches & Thread - explore sewing machine stitches and expand your options using thread! I will show how to best set up your sewing machine for using different stitches, as well as types of thread and tips for preparing your fabric. Learn all about selecting needles, weights and varieties of thread for different uses. Whether purely to decorate small makes or items of clothing or for applique stitching or quilting, this class will inspire you to use and enjoy your machine to the max! Click the image below to book your place.
Excitingly you will now find videos of some of my live classes available in the CraftyMonkies online shop! If you're interested in learning how to do Big Stitch Hand Quilting & Tying a quilt or would like to watch me demonstrate making my Stitchy Pie needle case pattern, head HERE.
And I am thrilled to be taking a live class myself this weekend! I'm doing the Mindful Stitch Journal class with Gary Mills and can't wait to spend an afternoon relaxing, learning and sewing. If you'd like to join the class too visit CraftyMonkies.
Hope you're all having a good week, staying safe and enjoying working on your sewing projects!
handmade stitching extras
These are extras but could be deemed necessities. Each project is contributing to helping me stay neat and organised while stitching. I have been down the rabbit hole of flosstube videos on YouTube and decided to make a thread catcher mat and also try making a 'grime guard' for my new 11" Q-Snap frame. My 2021 cross stitch project needed a project bag to house the larger frame too (it would also be perfect for storing quilt blocks) so that's where it started. The slippery slope of making things to prepare to make things!
I searched through a lot of online tutorials and videos and am sharing today which ones I used to make my projects and explain why these makes are all so useful.
Perhaps, like me, you have a sofa/armchair/floor covered in bits of thread. I like to hand sew sitting on the sofa and the armrest is where most of my snipped threads end up. Occasionally (most of the time!) I forget to move them and they can end up in little nests all over the place. I've seen a whole load of different styles of thread catchers and I actually have a really cute little book thread catcher kindly made for me by Archie the Wonder Dog a while ago. That one lives with my sewing kit that I take out and about (not right now!) - to prevent trains/classrooms/cafes having to deal with my thread nests! Ultimately I decided to make these thread catcher mats, which again there are different variants of, but what I like about this version is you can easily replace the square of wadding when it gets worn out. Also it a good size and as it's flat it can easily fit into a project bag.
a few (mostly fabric) additions
One of the things I love about visiting a quilt shop is getting to see fabric collections you've seen online, in real life. I was teaching at Patchfinders the other day and, after ogling City Nights by Lewis and Irene on my laptop, some had to come home with me! It has lovely touches of metallic, just enough sparkle without being too much. I fell for, from left to right: Architectural Blender in copper on light and City Buildings in copper and copper on multi. The copper glistens so beautifully and the colours are totally my style.
While I was at the shop, a local quilting group was meeting in one of the rooms and they were selling Super Snips mini scissors to raise money for the charity Siblings Together. Of course I bought a pair and of course I chose pink. How dinky and cute are they?! Handy that it has an attached cover too. The whole thing measures less than 2".
penguins and pigments
The kindness of our community always surprises me! Lovely Naomi asked if she could send me a little gift after discovering that penguins are my favourite creatures. I was thrilled to receive this adorable Christmas decoration, with beautiful fussy cut penguins!
stashing and stitching
I have had some happy mail recently, some necessary or just because and a couple of nice surprises!
First up I needed to get some more Liberty bias tape for my Green Tea and Sweet Beans quilt borders from The Weaver's Mill. The top two prints just fell into the basket.
clockwise from top left: Liberty tana lawn Tatum D and Jungle A; Liberty bias tape and a selection of scraps that came with the order (love that!)
Next Spoonflower had their buy one, get one free fat quarter deal - so I did, twice. I really enjoy searching through all the designs, there are so many great artists/graphic designers/print makers. It's like pinterest to me, very inspiring! While browsing I came across Sally Harmon, boris_thumbkin, Sally's designs are really cool, very graphic style with interesting colours and shapes. I was especially taken by how different cultures and styles find their way into her designs. I was feeling the retro vibe in the prints I chose by her and I have an idea of what I will be using them for. In contrast is a grid paper print by Lorrie Cranor, lorrietweet, which I got just because it's simple and awesome.
clockwise from top left: Peach Deco Motosu Moon Flower Stripe by boris_thumbkin; quarter-inch-grid by lorrietweet; Baby Checkerboard by boris_thumbkin and Ukrainian Pinwheels by boris_thumbkin.
I usually buy on Kona Cotton but this time I went for the poplin. Other people have seemed to like it so I will see how it washes and compare. It does feel lovely, though it still has that printed stiffness. I will let you know how I get on with it.
After trying a Q-Snap frame at the retreat - thanks Hannah! - I had to get one. It's so simple to use, collapses down and is really comfortable too.
I was lucky enough to win this adorable needle minder recently from Cloud Craft's giveaway on instagram. I love Mollie's designs and this is so pretty with a good magnet back too! Also sweeties ❤
And in case you haven't seen...
How amazing is this?! Fat Quarter Shop are giving away a totally gorgeous "Hello Lovely" Cotton + Steel Bernina 350 SE. For full details and to enter to win CLICK HERE.
Open internationally, ends July 25, 2017 at midnight CST.
Good luck!
make music wherever you go ~ guitar baby quilt
When I saw the Fat Quarter Baby book I knew I was going to make the 'Kevin' quilt for my sister and brother in law (who loves playing guitar). At that point she wasn't even pregnant but I could have given it to them for the cat. Earlier this year, however, my sister gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and so I had a reason to finish the quilt, which I gifted last week. Prepare to be bombarded with baby cuteness...
Starshine in Nightfall, Rhoda Ruth by Elizabeth Hartman; Lined Grids in Yarrow, Dow by Carolyn Friedlander; Southwest Key in Nature, Rhoda Ruth by Elizabeth Hartman; Crosshatch in Chestnut, Architextures by Carolyn Friedlander; Ant March in Citron, Picnic by Melody Miller and Coming Home in Clay, Bound by April Rhodes
Background: Subdivided in Grey, Doe by Carolyn FriedlanderBacking: Butter Churn in Navy, Feed Company by Sweetwater
Pattern: Kevin quilt from Fat Quarter Baby
Quilted with Aurifil 40wt #2600 and 12wt #4241 for the guitar strings.
She is so precious!
Happily her parents love the quilt and it's currently in her cot :)
Dutch Tulips quilt along
It's Sew Emma have a new quilt pattern, Dutch Tulips and I am joining in the quilt along to make pretty spring flowers! The quilt pattern can be made in four different sizes: crib, lap, twin and queen. The blocks come together easily and it is so fun choosing fabric combinations to create the tulip.
The bold combination of prints is the result of raiding my stash / scraps along with some new fabric. I love the rope text print with the striking stripes and the black and white print reminded me of the anthers of a tulip!
I chose the petal prints first and then couldn't find a green that worked well with them for the stem and leaves, so instead I decided to use this blue Denyse Schimdt fabric, which works well with the background fabric too.
I chose to machine appliqué the leaves, though you could sew them by hand if you prefer. The soft pale blue Aurifil #2847 was perfect.
I am making this into a cushion cover and haven't yet decided on a layout. I may make another tulip block and then decide!
What fabric would you use for this quilt?
Head over to the Jolly Jabber to see the two quilts made by Fat Quarter Shop and visit all the other bloggers to see their versions - they are all beautiful and very creative! There is also a giveaway to win your choice of It's Sew Emma patterns, click here to read more!
sunday stash on a tuesday
There have been a few parcels of loveliness dropping through the letter box so here are my latest could not resist stash additions...
Carolyn Friedlander's latest collection is just so cool. I wish I could have it all but I picked out some of my favourite prints and colours from Fat Quarter Shop. The Friedlander collection has some of the best colour combinations - the pistachio, pops of orange and lime - and I can't wait to cut into these prints!
I also bought some fabrics I had stashed in my online basket along with some yummy Cotton + Steel:
top row, left to right: Stripes, Mostly Manor by Victoria Findlay Wolfe; 1/4" Stripes in Gray by Riley Blake Designs; Flotsam & Jetsam in Sand Dollar, Kujira & Star by Rashida Coleman-Hale; College Ruled in White, Paper Obsessed by Heather Givens; Cross Hatch, Maven Stone by BasicGrey
bottom row, left to right: Tiny Tiles Natural, Black & White 2017 by Cotton + Steel; Chimes Natural, Black & White 2017 by Cotton + Steel; Cipher in Grey, Flower Shop by Alexia Abegg; Double Dots Neon Pink, Black & White 2017 by Cotton + Steel; Double Dots Dark Grey, Black & White 2017 by Cotton + Steel; Roller Rink Neon Pink, Black & White 2017 by Cotton + Steel
I was lacking greys in my stash so this has helped replenish that and as I was looking at the prints today I feel like these three in particular are very me! I grew up roller skating and then spent 9 years at university studying and teaching - also I do really love paper!! That cross hatch print in the middle is amazing, I am so drawn to it and can't really explain why... it feels retro and modern... classic, complex and simple all at once. I love it.
Next is some lovely canvas from The Fabric Fox because I plan on making Aneela's new pattern and thought these would be super fun and cute:
Dolly Mix, Trefle by Kokka and Large Hidden Pandas by Cosmo Textiles, I also picked up some more Shibuya Linen, Tokyo Train Ride by Cotton + Steel (not pictured because I just started cutting it up!).
It's always fun to experiment and try new threads, I picked up these gorgeous Watercolours by Caron pima cotton threads from Patchfinders. These colours are so, so pretty and hard to capture in a photo:
I had another fun delivery, after Collette enticed me with a referral to the Papergang subscription box. So thrilled with everything in it - gorgeous note books and stationery, all in such fab colours. Can't wait to see what next month brings :)
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