Handmade Buffalo Check : :

Happy December 1st! I'm having the most fun sewing at my new studio these days! You may have noticed that I've been keeping pretty busy stitching items to sell this holiday season. While I've been sewing I've spent so much time thinking about what I plan to offer at my new studio, once I'm able to open the doors to invite people in. Local shopping, lessons and sewing get-togethers are all at the top of my list, but lately I'm feeling most excited about this new opportunity to sell the things I make. I enjoy so much making and selling in my Etsy shop, as well as having the occasional Instagram or special sale right here. Now that my work space is so much larger, for the first time I'm able to offer large batches of each new item I stich up and it's really exciting! I'm hoping to continue this new assembly line sewing trend I'm in to completely stock my new studio with as many gift items as I can for once I'm ready to open. But for now, my focus is on sewing for this holiday and I'm in love with today's new item up for sale!



These Handmade Buffalo Check Zipper bags were completely inspired by the holiday stockings that I made last year this time, using Art Gallery Fabrics Solid Textured Denim in Scarlet Brick, a heavy weight cotton denim, paired with AGF Pure Elements Caviar and Aurora Red!



So much of our house becomes covered with red and black plaid during the winter months. From kitchen towels to bed sheets, it's the Cracknell's favorite print this time of year!

To make my own to turn into bags I cut 2" strips of both the denim and the solid cottons to make my patchwork and then I used qayg to quilt them to a layer of cotton batting. The combination of the heavy weight denim with the layer of batting on both sides, make these bags nice and sturdy. And for the lining I used my brand new Love Story Daring Tribal Noir print that goes perfectly!



These bags reverse to the same handmade buffalo plaid on both sides and they're each finished with a cherry red felted wool ball zipper pull!





I shared a peek of these in my Instagram stories last night and already sold a bunch, hooray! I have just eight remaining for $25 each. They measure 8" x 8" and have a bottom with boxed corners making them perfect for gift-giving and roomy enough for makeup, travel, art supplies, epp & knitting projects, etc... and I can see my boys and husband using these for their travel needs, as well!

If you're interest in placing an order you can leave your Paypal email in the comments or you can email me at maureencracknell@hotmail.com anytime!

So how about you, are you busy sewing anything to gift or sell this holiday season?

xo Maureen 

Handmade in Buffalo Plaid : :

For me, the most festive holiday fabric has to be the red and black Buffalo Check! I have loved this particular plaid since I was a young teenager working at a local shop that carried mostly Woolrich, the company who created and trademarked The Original Buffalo Check in the mid 1800's. Late last week I decided to make my own modern version of this print for a new holiday stocking to hang and I LOVE how it turned out!



Using a combination of AGF's heavyweight Scarlet Brick Texture Denim with Pure Element solids in Caviar and London Red I made just enough patchwork to finish this Quick Quilt As You Go Stocking!



For the lining I used a lighter weight AGF Denim in Wicked Sky, and my hanger is made out of felted red wool. I'm not sure I'd use the wool again and much prefer a denim loop for hanging, like I added to my previous stockings. I will absolutely be making several more of these, using the same fabrics as soon as they arrive, just with different embellishments.



This was my first attempt at using the very popular Buck Forest print for an ornament to adorn my stocking with. It's not without flaws but what a perfect pair!



This holiday I have enjoyed making all of these new handmade stockings the most of all!

How about you, have you been making handmade to decorate or to gift these past few weeks? I always love reading what you're up to!

♡ Maureen 

A Folk Plaid Pillow : :

Thanks for all the Scrappy Bear Paw love here, on facebook, and on my Instagram, I'm really hoping to squeeze in one more block today! Since that particular quilt plan may take a little while for me to finish, I decided it was okay to jump projects to a quick finish. Don't you love how making a quick pillow cover can give you that sense of gratification and quilty fulfillment? I do!



This one began with a square cut of my Folk Plaid print, simply quilted following the 1" grid of my buffalo check pattern to two layers of cozy batting!



The combination of all those happy reds with that little pop of Folk Plaid blue in my bear paw block reminded me of the extra long roll of Denyse Schmidt's Complex Plaid in Maple binding I had made for my You & Me Quilt.





I pulled what was left of it and a half yard of AGF's Squared Elements in Red from my stash for my pillow back. I love how these plaids look together and how this pillow matches my quilt block!





I'm planning to pop this new pillow in my etsy shop to offer soon, along with many other Wild & Free makes I hope to create this year. But for now, I better get back to working on that matching quilt, Lily's waiting for me!



♡ Maureen      

For Kaiden : :

This past Sunday morning I finished up my Making Rows Quilt top, a quilt-as-you-go style quilt I'm making to give Kaiden on Christmas. I had mentioned when I shared my Diamond Strings Quilt that Kaiden had such grand ideas for his design that it could take just as long to make, as it's taken me to make the eight I've already finished. That, combined with him changing his mind sort of often, was making me a little nervous as to whether I could reach my goal of making my three kiddos and each of my brother's & sister's children a quilt of their very own to handout at Christmas time.

With so much on my plate besides this quilt goal of mine, I decided to just go for it and I started a quilt for Kaiden using fabrics I knew he'd like, in a color-scheme I knew he'd love. I showed him some peeks along the way and I'm happy to report he's thrilled with it! I felt especially proud after noticing how very similar the quilt I made for him is to the items he chose for himself when we recently went Winter clothes shopping. Yay, victory!



I quilted each row using my go-to quilt-as-you-go method, with mostly straight line quilting, adding in just a few decorative stitches here and there!





I chose a 100% cotton, plaid flannel shirting for the quilt back that is soooo perfect!



I'm basting this one today and I'll be back tomorrow with a Sunset Quilt finish to share! I glanced over those quilt photos just now as I was putting these together, and I'm so excited! Be sure to stop back!!

♥  Maureen

Catching Up : :

Phew, I finally feel like I'm all caught up! I felt so behind yesterday as I settled into my sewing machine with another large stack of etsy orders that needed finished before I could officially begin my week. Not the best feeling to have on a Tuesday morning! But we had such a great weekend, so no regrets!



Beside my crowns, I have this growing stack of quilt tops that need some quilting love as soon as possible!
I have the quilt backs planned out and the fabrics are now ordered, can't wait to see these finished!!



I did manage to finish up my Buffalo Check Plaid Man-Pillow Friday morning before we left town. It's so, so comfy!! I used a very large, Euro size Home Elegance Pillow insert from Joann. LOVE! I actually picked up four of them when they were 50% off. I can't wait to have a stack for our living room!





The front is made up of Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Element solids in White Linen, Sandstone, and Moonstone.

I finished the pillow back in a heather grey sweatshirt fabric, from Joann as well, for an extra manly finish! And, added some binding in an Empire Yellow Pure Element Solid, inspired by this quilt that Nik shared with me after I shared my Buffalo Check blocks a couple of weeks ago.



This pillow is a gift for my Brother-in-law. It's so perfect for him, I'm really excited!!



Well, I had completely fallen in love with these Triangle Chicopee Quilts when I saw them here and here. I actually wanted to make one exactly the same, which never happens to me! I dove right in and did all my cutting last week.



I didn't get too far with my triangle piecing that first night.



Now, this is my free sewing  project this week! It's been really fun and has taken on a new, improv direction. I've decided most of my quilts making will mostly likely fall into the improv category. I just love it!



Just a few more orders to finish up today and then I can get back to playing with Chicopee triangles! 

How about you, what are you working on this week ? Who's headed to QuiltCon ?? I wish!!
♥, Maureen

New Sewing Projects : :

I'm definitely enjoying the one night a week I'm allowing myself to indulge in a new sewing project. I have so many orders and unfinished wips right now, the most I have ever had for sure, so I'm sticking to a schedule and list for the most part. Permitting myself just one night a week for something new, for now, until I'm all caught up. If that ever happens!!

Last week was a Glimma quilt! This time, I finally gave into my craving to make something with just solids! Enter -- Buffalo Check!



A simple idea, I know! Beginning with lots of 3.5" square cuts of Pure Element solids in White Linen, Sandstone, and Moonstone.



A little late-night chain piecing on my Janome!



And, I am loving the result of this simple patchwork!



Seeing it all come together was really fun! I would love to make another quilt in this Buffalo Check plaid pattern, maybe in another color scheme, since this is going to be a Man-pillow Birthday gift! I could also, very easily, type up a tutorial for this pillow project if anyone is interested? Just let me know!



Yesterday, one of my girlfriends came over with her sewing machine and we made pillowcases with a favorite Indie print, Dynasty in Saffron, and a little Pure Element in Moonstone again. Yellow & Grey is always such a great combo!



We laughed so hard when I unfolded my stash of this print! I have A LOT!!!



For the pillowcases, we used this wonderful tutorial from FITF. The addition of that little strip of trim and the french seams are so smart! I first used it back in December for a pillowcase drive and for holiday gift giving, which was so enjoyable I declared to never purchase another pillowcase ever again!



The end result of our first, little sewing session was two new, beautiful pillowcases -- made in less than two hours, with lots of coffee, and chatting about starting a sewing club!



Thanks for all your help and suggestions on your own experiences with sewing groups! Something fun, laid back, and easy is exactly what I hope it will be!

Today, I have three Fox Pillows to finish and a giveaway with the Fat Quarter Shop in the works for tomorrow! Be sure to stop back!!  ♥, Maureen