Love Story Patchwork Stockings : :

Holiday making is well underway and my goodness, I do LOVE these days of non-stop making!



Last year this time my Love Story collection had just arrived at my studio and I was brimming with ideas for using these pretty prints for some surprising holiday themed handmades. I made so many bags that I never finished these Love Story stockings that were at the top of my to-make list, until now...



Making unique Christmas stockings have become one of my favorite things to make! Years ago, before I knew yet how to sew, I purchased our family's stockings from Pottery Barn. Their shape and size are the style I still like best all these years later, so when it came time to try making my own to gift and to sell, I traced one of those stockings to be the template that I continue to use for each one. The extra large size is just perfect for stuffing with all kinds of small gifts and treats!



These Love Story Patchwork Stockings include all twenty quilting cottons that make up the collection. And to add a special boho touch, I embellish each with handmade flower & fabric twine cluster!



Aren't they pretty?! I love them so much!! So much so that I made eight!

*UPDATE* All Love Story Stockings have sold out, but I would still love for you to check out my other Ready To Ship bags, pillows, quilted journals and quilts of mine, you can visit my new Instagram Pop-Up Shop --
https://www.instagram.com/shopMCH/



Today, Monday December 3rd, I'm offering FREE SHIPPING on ALL the Ready To Ship handmade items that are still available. Simply visit me here -- https://www.instagram.com/shopMCH/  to check out what is still available and all you need to do is comment on the post to order. If you don't have Instagram please feel free to email me at maureencracknell@hotmail anytime!



Thanks for looking! xo Maureen

A Lady Belle Fabric GIVEAWAY & SALE!

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My sponsor Lady Belle Fabric is run by husband and wife team, Rob & Brooke! In their shop you'll find both bundles and single cuts of handpicked fabrics that are fresh, modern, and fun! Designer fabrics include many of our favorites -- Art Gallery Fabrics, Free Spirit, & Moda, just to name a few! Lady Belle Fabric's goal is to offer the most gorgeous lines of fabric, as quickly as they can! 
   
SHOP  *  Instagram  *  FACEBOOK  *  Pinterest  
 

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We hope you enjoy visiting the Lady Belle Fabric sites!! 

For this week's special Fabric Giveaway Friday, Lady Belle Fabric is offering the winner the brand new Maureen Cracknell Designer's Palette from Art Gallery Fabrics Color Masters! This bundle will include a fat quarter cut of each of the TEN pretty prints that make up this Maureen Cracknell Edition no.1 bundle collection!



You're all invited to checkout the Maureen Cracknell Bundle along with a special discount of 30% OFF in the Lady Belle Fabric shop as fat quarter bundles and as half yard bundles! Be sure to visit this amazing shop!!

In addition, Lady Belle Fabric is having a HUGE Black Friday & Cyber Monday SALE!! With up to 30% off  your entire order! Be sure to use their coupon code: BF2018

and to viit Lady Belle for all your holiday fabric shopping right here --  http://www.ladybellefabric.com/

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Enter to win! 

Here's how,

 
1. Simply leave a comment here in this post! (one entry)
2. Follow Lady Belle Fabric on Facebook or on Instagram! Just be sure to let me know you do by making a separate comment here for an extra entry! (optional extra entry)
3. My followers get a third entry! Just let me know that you do by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra entry)
4. Help spread the word!! I know that many of you already do, so I thought it would be nice to add that as another way to enter! Whether by Instagram, tweet, facebook, pin, blog, etc... (optional extra entry) 

That’s 4 possible entries! Enter now through Monday, November 26th!! The winner will be picked at random and I will announce their name at the bottom of this post here on the blog!

* Note * This giveaway is open to EVERYONE! If you're a "no reply" or anonymous commenter, please remember to include your email address in your comment! 

A BIG thanks to all who enter our Giveaway! xo Maureen 

Sweet Winter Dreams & News!

Hello there! Since early last week I've been so busy decorating and making plans for December. It's such a full month for our family with two birthdays plus celebrating the holidays. To be sure that everything gets done, out of necessity I'm one who likes to start making & shopping earlier than most, and this year everything seems to be happening earlier than ever! Already we have LOTS of pretty snow, so on the morning of our first snowfall it felt right to pull together this Sweet Winter Dreams bundle for my first set of holiday bags!



By complete accident I included at least one print from each of my fabric collections with a few brand new prints from AGF's adorable Little Clementine collection.

The front side is the herringbone pattern that I teach in my Craftsy class and use so often in a variety of the projects I make from bags to pillows to full size quilts. It will forever be my go-to for pretty much everything! I love sewing using this quilt as you go technique and I love the scrappy style of this pattern, especially when using very thin strips of prints the way I did for these new zipper bags!



Each bag has a cushiony layer of Hobbs cotton batting, a colorful zipper, a faux suede zipper pull and each bag is lined with my wintery Nightfall Mystical Woods cotton canvas for a really nice finish! Bags reverse to a striping of the same prints used for the bag fronts. I just can't get enough of this pretty fabric combination in this ombre order!



My Sweet Winter Dreams Bags measure a little bigger this time at 9" x 10" finished and have a boxy bottom making them perfect for makeup, travel, art supplies, knitting & epp project, and more!

I'm offering this first set of Holiday Bags on my new Instagram Shop account at my special sale price of just $25!





Why the new Instagram account to sell my handmade goods? Well, if you sell on Etsy you may already be aware of their new changes. Etsy has increased their selling fees and has even added a fee for shipping charges. As a result Etsy sellers like myself are raising their prices to offset the higher fees and are looking for new platforms outside of Etsy to sell their products because of the fee changes. I don't want to raise my prices, which I feel are already fairly set, and since I've been dragging my feet into exploring other options like Shopify because I have always liked Etsy, I decided to add a special pop-up style account on Instagram where you can easily purchase my handmade offerings and fabric destashes, @shopMCH!

I'll be adding new makes, from quilted journals to bags to quilts, all throughout the gift giving season and I'd love for you to find me there! https://www.instagram.com/shopMCH/

Ordering is easy, I have multiples available & time to make more of almost everything, so you simply comment "sold" on anything you'd like to purchase and I will contact you via direct message on Instagram to sort out the rest. Easy, peasy! If you do not have Instagram, you can email me about ordering any items at maureencracknell@hotmail.com or you can still find select items still listed in my Etsy Shop for the time being.

As always, thank you for your continued support here at Maureen Cracknell Handmade! Happy Holidays to all!

xo Maureen

For the Love of Shibori!

Last week I finished up my newest small batch gift set, Shibori LOVE!

I had pulled fabrics and carefully sourced coordinating supplies to begin making these weeks ago, just before I got sick again, so it feels extra good to have finished up this project!

Last week I shared a quick sale on my Instagram feed and this morning I added the few I have left to my Etsy Shop and I'm excited to share all the details here on the blog!





I have always loved the way Shibori looks, whether on clothing, home décor or accessories. The mix of white and indigo dye is always so beautiful!



To date, I've made two quilt tops using April Rhodes Observer fabrics for Art Gallery Fabrics. The main print, Indigo Window Crystal is a favorite of mine and has all the beauty of a hand dyed shibori textile without the work. Love that!



It was this print from Observer that inspired this gift set collection, and I was so thrilled to have found the perfect handcrafted sketchbook journal to include, with sixty blank pages perfect for writing and doodling with a beautiful Shibori dyed cover!







Along with each patchwork quilted bag and handcrafted sketchbook, I'm including a lovely indigo & white zipper pull, Fanned Tassel Charm that I picked up from my favorite store, Anthropolgie! These retail for $18 a piece but I was lucky to snag just enough during a recent sale for this Shibori Love collection!





Zipper colors include black, light blue and grey. Each bag is finished with a flat bottom making these perfect for cosmetics, craft projects and travel. These measure big, around 11"x12" and both sides are made of a similar patchwork pattern of flying geese and stripes. Some are lined with the Observer cotton canvas and others with AGF's heavy duty denim, making each bag sturdy and durable!



Follow this link to find them in my Etsy Shop -- Shibori Patchwork Gift Set

For those ordering today, I'll include one Fat Quarter cut of ANY of my Art Gallery Fabrics! Just add in the comment section of the order the name of the print you'd like to receive and I will be happy to include that as my gift to you for supporting my handmade work!

xo Maureen

A Sun Kissed Debut!

This past weekend I had the pleasure of sharing the studio display that I created with my upcoming collection with Art Gallery Fabrics, Sun Kissed, due in store this December! When I began work on this collection in January of this year there was plenty of snow and rain and ice and cold yet to come for us in Northern PA. Happy colors and thoughts of our annual family beach vacation were on my mind and I found myself sketching the magic and wonder of the Summer Season!



"A warm breeze making the palm trees dance. Sun Kissed is glowing skin after a cool swim, a puppy’s joyful bandana, colorful pool tiles, that floral dress that will always remind us of a lovely and bright Summertime, forever engraved in vibrant tones of ocean blue, cherry red and citrus yellow."



While I was at home, sharing my studio display and celebrating the debut of this next collection, my Art Gallery Fabrics family was in Houston at Quilt Market taking pre-orders of Sun Kissed.

There are a total of 25 pieces in Sun Kissed. A 20-piece quilting cotton collection, 3 knits, 1 rayon and 1 canvas, and I have been working on some very fun sewing to create my display that will be included in my upcoming LookBook which I'll be sharing in the coming weeks!



I would have loved the opportunity to attend Quilt Market in Houston. I truly enjoy the whole production of putting a display together at the event, especially getting the opportunity to speak with shop owners and industry professionals one on one about the inspiration behind each collection. Although I wasn't able to attend, creating a studio display to share the collection's story as the designer, and to present my fabrics as samples is very important to me.

With creating the perfect space to capture and nurture a child's artistic whims as my inspiration, I got to work making my list of samples, and I love how this display came together! Included is a Sparkler inspired quilt because this collection celebrates the best of Summertime. Colorful baby doll bedding, rainbow pillows and garland because I adore these happy colors. Journals and bags galore perfect for travel & adventuring! It was such a joy to sew with this fun collection and to create this display!



When it came time to make Sun Kissed fabric samples I've never left so many pieces of fabric intact to let the beauty of each print show. From drawstring & tote bags to half a dozen zipper pouch bags to water bottle & lunch bags in quilting cotton, canvas and rayon, I stitched up loads of bags with this collection!



This cosmetic style bag is a favorite of mine and is made in Sun Kissed Summerdress Dreams Ray, a happy yellow floral bursting with color!



This colorful sewing setup has me wanting to sit down and fire up Haila's sweet, little Janome to make more Sun Kissed things!

How about you, what will you make with this collection?



I hope you love Sun Kissed as much as I have loved creating it and creating with it!

xo Maureen

Autumn Vibes Pillowcases : :

I'm a little later than I had hoped getting to my blog today, but I had a super productive sewing day. Hooray! I sewed from 8:30am to 2:00pm and I was able to complete & cross off  SEVEN small projects from my Sun Kissed to-make list. I'm hoping to make many of these new-to-me projects again with Autumn Vibes, once Quilt Market weekend is over, but for today I want to share one of my favorite Autumn Vibes sewing finishes to date -- these gorgeous pillowcases!



I would love nothing more than to have a set of sheets for our bed made using each of my fabric collections. Wouldn't that be dreamy? There's always a few standout designs that are so perfect for bedding, that now when my rolls of advanced yardage arrive, making a set of pillowcases for myself has become tradition!



I love picking and pulling prints from the twenty quilting cottons that make up each collection to begin my pillowcase making! Have you ever tried to make your own? It's incredibly simple and is such a great way to admire your most favorite fabrics!

I've made so many over the years that I've been sewing, always using FITF's Pretty Quick Pillowcase tutorial, which includes fancy French Seam instructions that result in a beautiful finish. I love making them so much that I offer orders anytime for custom pillowcases in my Etsy Shop!



For these first two Autumn Vibes pillowcases I used,

Pressed Ablossom Royal + Cozy Ditzy Plum + Harvest Trails Vanilla - -



Foxes In Fall + Fall In Love Serene + Midfall Trellis Pumpkin - -

I made both of these pillowcases in just a short sewing session and would love nothing more than to make a dozen more, mixing and matching my Autumn Vibes prints all day long! Recently I shipped a quilt order inside of one as a special thank you gift to my customer, and now I think that will become my go-to for all quilt orders that come through my Etsy Shop. They're so much fun to make and I'm always so pleased with how they turn out!



I really hope today's Autumn Vibes project inspires you!  xo Maureen

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* You can find the list of online retailers currently carrying Autumn Vibes under ----- MY ART GALLERY FABRICS