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

Inspired Patchwork : :

I made half a dozen of these pretty patchwork pillows a few weeks back, but I've been so busy making since then that I'm just now finally sharing them here!



Each print that I pulled from stash to stitch up these pillows was inspired by a beautiful Swan Patchwork cushion by artist, Carola van Dyke. I completely fell in love with her lovely combination of color and the sketch stitching style of her applique that I often use myself. And, since I prefer my pillows to come in pairs, I decided to try my best to make my own patchwork pillows to match!





Right away I thought of AGF designer, Bonnie Christine's collection Hello, Ollie that's full of sweet swan motifs. From there I chose prints completely based on Carola's sense of color and in the end most of my stack included Bonnie Christine prints. A very happy discovery!



I even added my own sketch stitched applique swan to each pillow!



I've been using a variety of Hobbs batting for mostly all of my projects since they sponsored the Sewcial Bee Sampler. For this pillow I used their wool batting and it's extra squishy, which I love! Because it's a natural fiber I can use it for quilt as you go, which is how I made my pillow tops and finished my envelope style pillow backs.







I plan to keep a few of these Swan Patchwork pillow sets and to add a few to my Etsy shop soon. I really love how they turned out!

xx Maureen

A Pleated Pillow : :

Continuing on with my AGF Denim obsession, yesterday I stitched up a new pillow combining a variety of denim solids & prints, fabric strips from my Fleet & Flourish Gentle Mantle in Land stripe, and cotton/linen Soft Sand Canvas. Inspired by a pillow I purchased from Anthropologie several years ago, I decided to experiment with a fun technique of layering and pleating narrow strips of fabrics to create a beautiful design!







I simply used the satin stitch on my Janome set at a slightly larger than standard width, with an Aurifil 50wt in Navy from my Bohemian Garden Thread Box, where you see the fabric strips folded in and gathered together to reveal the pretty pattern. I love the added texture and structure!



For the pillow backing and binding I used even more denim, of course!



I truly can't tell you how much I love sewing with this new denim! It's so easy to work with and perhaps I love it most because it's inspiring me to attempt so many new things -- my first quilt as you go tote bag, this new pillow, and I even turned the short strip scraps I had laying around into a little pouch last night before bed. I'll share that soon!

If you have any questions about sewing with Art Gallery Fabrics denim, feel free to ask! I think it's about time I start a new quilt using it, don't you think?



♡ Maureen

Indie Symmetry Quilt : :

It's the first day back to school for my kids, I can hardly believe Summer vacation is already over! I never handle these big events well so, I'm extra grateful to have saved this new quilt to share here today rather than trying to fit blogging into our busy day yesterday. I needed something exciting to blog about!



Having this big, beautiful Indie quilt finally finished is honestly the most excitement I've felt since I began quilting! It's almost a King size quilt, measuring in at 90"x104"! It's made in all Indie fabrics, a collection by Pat Bravo for Art Gallery Fabrics, in a simple symmetrical layout of both large & small, square & rectangle cuts of fabric. When I sketched out the pattern more than a year ago, I was inspired by a few quilts I had seen at my most favorite store, Anthropologie. These Indie fabrics go so well with that colorful, bohemian style!





It's on our bed now, along with my favorite Indie pillow, and a few more cozy layers of bedding that I've been collecting to go with this quilt throughout the year. A work in progress still, but I like how our room is starting to come together.





The quilt top was originally made about a year ago for Pat to use in her Indie promotional ads and video. Then just a few weeks ago I finally pieced together the largest quilt back I've ever seen and shipped both the top and back off to Sew Shabby Quilting, a professional long-arm machine quilting service I was recently introduced to. For this quilt, keeping with it's pattern of squares and rectangles, I chose their Square Dance .01, a perfect pattern match in my opinion! Melissa did such an amazing job!!



The back is finished in the Indie Afro Fusion in Dusk print and the binding is Dynasty in Saffron, my two most favorite fabrics in the collection!





Because of it's large size photographing this one was such a challenge, but we still managed a few fun shots! I'm so grateful for my husband and kids for being so awesome and careful when it came to taking these last photos!

I still have to finish up tutorials for a few of my other quilts, but I'm curious how many of you would be interested in making a quilt this size? And, if taking the time to share the pattern at some point would be a good idea? When it comes to making a quilt this big, I love the large piecing myself, and don't feel disappointed at all with the symmetrical look as opposed to making up a quilt this size block, by block. What do you think?

Wishing you all a wonderful week!  ♥  Maureen

A Little Inspiration : :

I am completely in love with my newest pillow purchase, I have to share it! I have such a weakness for the Anthropologie House & Home section, it's a pull only comparable to my love for fabric! I think it looks pretty next to my Indie quilt, which I'm preparing to have long-arm quilted soon! I'm excited to have finally decided that our bedroom is going to be the "Indie Room". Indie is at the tops of my favorite fabric collection list, so I'm certain it will make a beautiful bedroom!



The color and pattern of my new little bowls and plates have me inspired to put together a new bundle of fabrics today! Aren't they pretty?!





These West Elm Modernist Mugs inspired one of my most favorite bundles ever, the Sweet Summer Dream Blogger Bundle I put together for Pink Castle Fabrics!



Which turned into my favorite quilt to date, My Improv & LilyBelle Quilt As You Go!



Which I had said was a quilt for me, but I actually gave it to my amazing Mom, who is completely thrilled with it!

So, today I'm thinking it's time to revisit the favorite-dish-inspired-fabric-bundle once again! And, I'm wondering and would love to know -- what inspires you?

♥,  Maureen

A Quilted Improv Chevron Pillow : :

It's been a while since I shared a new pillow here! This one is made up of an Improv Chevron block, a tutorial by Six White Horse's, in a favorite color combo of mine -- yellow, aqua, grey, navy, teal, white, and a little brown. It's for our Living Room, which I've been trying so hard to keep within this color scheme!



This quilt block pattern is such a favorite of mine! I made a couple several months ago for a charity bee quilt, and right away made a third, they are so much fun! And, I'm definitely not done with this block pattern yet. A quilt in this style, and even in this same color palette, would be so perfect for one of my sisters!



The back is finished in an Essex Yarn Dyed RK linen in Leather and some pretty Aurifil thread in Light Blue. The perfect combo to keep the earthy feel I'm trying to maintain in this room, which is for my husband mostly since that's his style all the way!



While finishing the envelope style back, I had some fun trying out a new stitch on my Janome Horizon, one of it's many Heirloom stitch options. It's a simple diamond pattern with a heavy double stitch. I love the way it looks and I can't way to try out more on a second pillow. Next, I think I might try to make some sort of embroidered sampler pillow, in the same thread colors as this pillow, full of the Heirloom stitches.



I'm really loving it next to my favorite Anthropologie lampshade, and I'm so glad it's finally finished!!



Happy Monday!   ♥,  Maureen

Ruby Star Wrapping : :

Have you seen that the ridiculously talented and adorable Melody Miller and Allison Tannery have a new book? Oh yeah! Ruby Star Wrapping : : Creating Packaging to Reuse, Regive, and Relove! My friend Sukie is hosting a Wrap-Along and I absolutely could not resist joining in the fun!

Melody has a wonderful post all about her new book here, on her blog Ruby Star Rising. Through so many fun and thoughtful projects, this book teaching you that super creative, thrifty and frugal, easy-to-make Anthro gift giving style that I just love! Last year I spent a small fortune on wrapping paper, tags, and ribbons, thinking I could use them to dress up those special handmade gifts. Well, this book really has it all! All those unique and beautiful ideas for gift giving that I find so special and lovely! And what's really, really awesome -- it shows you how to do just that by re-purposing and recycling many items that we all have or have access to!



When I joined in the wrap-along, my first choice project was to create a handy tote bag out of an old button down shirt. So, that's what I'll be doing for when it's my date to share in December! I have just the shirt, and a few dozen others, in mind that I think will be perfect!!

You can find all the details, prize info, and the list of talented blogger's participating in the Wrap-Along in Sukies post right here! To be ready to join in the wrap-along and contest, you can pick up the Ruby Star Wrapping book at Roostbooks, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Random House.

But first, be sure to visit Sukie for a chance to win one in her Giveaway!!

photo by Sukie

I'm adding my Ruby Star Wrap-Along button to my sidebar and I really, really hope you all follow along, join the flickr group, and the link-up party!! You'll have a chance to win some really great prizes, and Sew, Mama, Sew will also have a link-up party at the end of Wrap-along on their site so you’ll have twice the chance of winning something fun!

Don't forget to enter Sukie's Giveaway for a chance to win this amazing book!!

Happy Halloween, friends!  ♥ Maureen