A Birthday Gift Set : :

Haila & I spent this past Saturday morning sewing up a special gift set for her best friend's birthday and I had to show it off today!



She loves the drawstring backpack I made for her last week and REALLY wanted her friend to have one, too!

Inspired by the personalized drawstring pouches we made together earlier in the Summer, Haila chose Bari J.'s gorgeous Joie De Vivre collection and began her project by fussy cutting her friend's initials, A.R. from the Joyeux Alphabet panel. This time, I just had to guide Haila while she created a log cabin style block using my quick quilt as you go method to be the front of the backpack. She's getting so good!



Haila wanted to embellish this backpack with the same lace details that I had added to hers. The combination of these colorful fabrics, denim, and lace is so pretty!



For the lining she chose this sweet, pink Joie De Vivre floral. She did such a great job!



I think I'm most proud of how well she quilted the reverse side of the backpack. Her stitch consistency has come such a long way since that very first simple, quilted pillow we made together when she was just beginning to learn. I love it!



A little matching pouch from the scraps made such an adorable set!



The little pouch measures a 5.5" x 7.5" and the drawstring backpack measures 12" x 15" finished. Since these turned out so perfect, I'm thinking I might pass the bag-making torch off to Haila for a little while, so I can get back to more quilt making! I'm hoping to start a new one today using April's new Observer collection, I shared a little peek of my plan just now on my Instagram!

You can find these lovely Joie de Vivre fabrics in stock at Fat Quarter Shop and Llama fabrics!

♡ Maureen  

Personalized Drawstring Bags : :

It's become tradition that when my niece comes to visit, Haila, Ceci, and I plan a sleepover sewing session to tackle a new little project. Last vacation it was pillows, this time we decided on a pair of Drawstring Bags, personalized with their initials, with a quilt as you go twist!



These adorable bags started with Bari J.'s new, gorgeous Joie De Vivre Joyeux Alphabet panel. We fussy cut and framed each letter, creating little log cabin style blocks using my quick quilt as you go method!





The girls each picked fabrics to pair with their letter and I love what they chose -- a Blossom Lavish print in aqua blue for Ceci & a sweet Garden Paperie print for Haila!





These drawstring bags were so much fun to make! If you're looking for a sweet, functional projects to stitch up with a young sewer in your life, I definitely suggest you add these to the list! You can find the tutorial, with just a few slight modifications, at Svetlana's blog s.o.t.a.k Handmade!





♡ Maureen  

A Fabric GIVEAWAY : :

It's Fabric Giveaway Friday!   

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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, Cotton + Steel, Free Spirit, and 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 Fabric Giveaway Friday, Lady Belle Fabric is offering the winner a beautiful Fat Quarter bundle of Bari J.'s newest fabric collection for Art Gallery Fabrics, Anna Elise! This bundle will include a fat quarter cut of each of the 20 beautiful fabric prints that make up this wonderful new collection! How very generous!!

You can find Anna Elise available in the Lady Belle Fabric shop as a Fat Quarter Bundle and a half yard bundle! Be sure to check out this amazing shop!!



In addition, Lady Belle Fabric is offering my readers 15% OFF any order from the shop throughout this Giveaway until Tuesday August 4th, just use coupon code "SUMMER" at checkout!!

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Enter to win! 

Here's how,

 
1. Simply leave a comment here in this post! We'd love to know which of these new arrivals are catching your eye, feel free to share! (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, August 3rd!! 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!

Thank you to all who entered our Giveaway! From the 886 comment entries, this week's lucky winner is comment #788, Kath! Congratulations, I will be in touch shortly!!

A Winter's Garden Quilt in Emmy Grace : :

I'm so excited to have finished and photographed this newest version of my Winter's Garden Quilt!



This one is made using Bari J.'s Emmy Grace collection and a rainbow of Art Gallery's Pure Element solids!



I had originally planned to recreate my first Winter's Garden Quilt to draft the pattern, but once I began I just couldn't commit to making that same exact pattern with these fabrics. Right away interesting design changes kept coming to mind while I worked. I ended up giving in to just one idea, to patchwork my sashing with the Emmy Grace low volume prints. I love the look of soft, low volume patchwork so much more than using just one light print or solid as a background fabric!



Next I decided to frame each of my blocks with narrow strips of Pure Element solids in a variety of colors that would play nicely with Emmy Grace. As a result, a completely different pattern emerged that I love even more than the original design I created!





I chose Bari J.'s gorgeous Emmy Grace voile print, Budquette in Nightfall, as my quilt backing. At 52" wide, the added length of Art Gallery Fabric's voile makes piecing together a quilt back so super quick & easy!



I really wanted this one to be quilted with a beautiful floral design, so I splurged to have it long arm quilted by my go-to girl, Melissa of Sew Shabby Quilting. I chose the pretty Emily flower & leaf pattern from her stitch catalog and, for the first time, chose her Quilter's Dream 100% cotton batting. WOW, am I ever thrilled with how it turned out!!



Now I know I say this all the time and then my plans fizzle for whatever reasons, BUT I really, really hope to release this patten sometime soon!  This year, one of my BIG goals is to focus on my pattern work. Your interest and encouragements always drives me to work harder, so if you happen to be interested, please do let me know!

Thanks!  ♡ Maureen      

A Fabric GIVEAWAY : :

It's Fabric Giveaway Friday!  

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My sponsor The Intrepid Thread is a family owned and run business. In their shop you'll find Fat Quarters, Half Yards, Yards, and Yardage, as well as patterns and embellishments. Their designer fabrics include many of our favorites -- Art Gallery Fabrics, Moda, Free Spirit, and Riley Blake Designs just to name a few! The owners work extremely hard everyday to bring their customers the best fabrics,at the best prices, with high quality customer service!
  
SHOP  *  BLOG  *  FACEBOOK
 

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We hope you enjoy visiting The Intrepid Thread's sites!! 

For this week's Fabric Giveaway, Julie at The Intrepid Thread is offering a beautiful fat quarter bundle from the new Art Gallery Fabrics collection by Bari J., Petal and Plume!

This week's winner will receive this pretty bundle including the TEN prints in fat quarter cuts that make up the Fuchsiad Finch colorway from the Petal & Plume collection!

You can find each dreamy print in the Petal and Plume collection available individually and as pre-cut bundles in quilting cotton, knits, & voile right HERE in The Intrepid Thread Shop!!

Enter to win! 

Here's how,

 
1. Simply leave a comment here under this post! (one entry)
2. Follow The Intrepid Thread on Facebook, their blog, or sign up to receive their Newsletter. Just let me know that you did by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra entry) 
3. My followers get a third entry! If you follow here, on Instagram, or on Facebook just let me know 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, January 12th! 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!

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Thank you to all who entered the Giveaway!! From 1,020 entries, Mr. Random says the lucky winner is...

Comment #273 --   * Kathy *  Congratulations, I'll be in touch shortly!  

Binding Day : :

My stack of "unblogged" quilts is about to get a little bigger! In all the craziness of these past several weeks I completely forgot about my Emmy Grace quilt. When it arrived back from Sew Shabby Quilting weeks ago I trimmed it up and set it aside, along with a yard of Bari J.'s golden Ripples in River print for my binding.



Last night I made the binding and today I hope to finish it up! How about you, what are you working on these days? 

♡ Maureen      

To the Sunflower Field : :

Last night we took a quick trip to the sunflower field with my newest quilt top, it was beautiful and inspiring and I hope these photos make you smile!









Happy Tuesday!

♥ Maureen

Next Up : :

Now that my quilt top in Emmy Grace is finished and I'm waiting for my backing (Budquette Nightfall) and binding (Ripples River) fabrics to arrive, now that I made and gifted the Indelible pillow set to my friend, now that I'm finally getting caught up with etsy orders, it's time for me to begin something new and to finish up some of the mid-way projects that have been laying around the sewing room.

First up, my Arizona Herringbone QAYG! This project hasn't seen any action in weeks (months) and it's time I remove the cat hair it's collected & finish it up!







Haila and I also started a new sewing project last night before bedtime! We're using Bari J.'s Bijoux collection and we're making a tote bag. I remember the first tote I made in my early sewing days and how magical it seemed to take just a few pieces of material and in such a short time create a useful bag. I'm excited to share that with her! Here's a peek, she's doing great!



I also want to invite you all to listen to my very excited self and four fellow Art Gallery Fabrics designers chat about our new fabric collections on the latest Modern Sewciety podcast while you sew this week and to enter the wonderful Giveaway! Click HERE or on the image below to be directed!

 

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

♥ Maureen

Pattern Change : :

Yesterday, when I finally sat down to continue work on my Emmy Grace quilt in my Winter's Garden quilt pattern, I just couldn't commit to making that same exact pattern with these fabrics. Interesting changes kept coming to mind, distracting me and slowing down the usual speed that I work at. So, I ended up giving into just one idea, to patchwork my sashing with the Emmy Grace low volume prints. First by strip piecing!



Then I cut my patchwork!



After that I decided each of my finished blocks really should be framed with either the darker prints in this collection or maybe with coordinating solids. So, I pulled a stack of Pure Elements that would play nicely!



I began by framing just one block, adding the sashing after, and just like that my new pattern emerged!



Right away, I was so excited about where this was heading! I've been wanting to create something using low volume prints in this way for so long. This turned out to be the perfect opportunity and collection to use. After a good stretch of sewing time, my idea grew into a quilt top that I'm so happy with!



Honestly, I really do work best this way. Having the freedom to change my mind, with my main focus being to simply create the best quilt I can with the fabrics I have to work with. I've never made the same quilt pattern twice, not sure why I thought I could do it this time!



I love the stained glass look of sunlight through patchwork!



You can find this gorgeous Emmy Grace collection available at Contemporary Cloth, Bobbie Lou's Fabric Factory, Llama Fabrics, Pink Castle Fabrics, The Intrepid Thread, Fat Quarter Shop, and Stash Fabrics!

♥ Maureen

A Pretty Start : :

Yesterday completely flew by and so did my Emmy Grace sewing time, therefor I don't have as much to share as I had hoped today, but it's such a pretty start! Emmy Grace is a collection of twenty prints, but for this quilt pattern I need just sixteen to create my blocks. First I chose those and then divided them into piles of four by color. Pink, grey, aqua, and yellow -- such a great combination!



For quilts with a repetitive block pattern I like to do all of my cutting right away using a common cutting method referred to as "stack and whack." To stack and whack is to simply cut multiple layers of fabric, stacked in a single pile, simultaneously, rather than cutting one single fabric at a time. For this quilt I layered my four cuts of fabric by color and had no problem cutting them all at once with accuracy. It makes the cutting easy, quick & fun!



I was only able to finish piecing my grey blocks yesterday, but I'm already so happy to have paired this pattern with these beautiful fabrics! This is going to make such a sweet quilt, I can't wait!!



Happy sewing!
  
♥ Maureen