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/



Thanks for looking! xo Maureen

Love Story for Holiday : :

I promise that I'm not one to skip over Fall & Thanksgiving decorating and celebrating, but in an effort to get a jump on my holiday sewing, I dove right into my list just as soon as I flipped our calendar to November! I mentioned last week that when I unpacked my rolls of Love Story I realized right away just how perfect this collection will be to add to my holiday sewing. I've never been one to stick to using just the traditional red and green color scheme, always adding in lots of minty blue, aqua, teal, blue, black and metallics to the mix. Since I love patchwork and home décor with a bohemian feel is without a doubt my go-to style, I decided to test out Love Story for holiday on a set of extra large, scrappy quick quilt as you go stockings and I LOVE the results!



I spent both Friday and Saturday's studio sewing time strip piecing, cutting patchwork and quilt as you going my assembly line of Love Story stockings, snapping photos to share along the way. Creating at the new studio has been an adjustment, it all feels so new & different after being in the same home studio space for the past several years. But already the extra space has made making more a possibility and now my children join me with their own creating at the same big table once again, which is so nice!





While working on my stockings I think I fell in love with one Love Story print in particular, Soulmate Blooms. Inspired by my appreciation for flash art and ink drawn florals, this print amongst the mix of patchwork squares kept catching my eye! I love the way the leaves and flowers look to be growing right out of the seams no matter how it was cut and pieced, it's so pretty!



It's been dark and pouring rain here for days, so finished photos of my first little collection of Love Story stockings will have to wait a bit. Plus I think I'll add a floral embellishment to each just as I did to last year's stockings. (You can see those here!) I'm certainly biased, but I do believe that Love Story is adding some high-style to my handmade holiday plans!



Today I'm beginning a new quick quilt as you go quilt pattern that I came up with while making pillows for my Flower Child Booth! I'll be back soon to share these new blocks and finished stockings just as soon as this weather decides to cooperate. Happy Sewing!

xx Maureen

Happy New Year!

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas season and a Happy New Year! We all had such a wonderful holiday! Christmas Eve and morning were truly magical. There were so many beautiful moments shared. And although I was too immersed in holiday celebrating to pop a post in during the busy week, I tried my best to keep up on social media and I did manage to sneak in a tiny bit of sewing (using Garden Dreamer, of course) to make a set of pillows and few new tote bags to gift family members. And because my niece was here visiting, Haila, Ceci and I spent yesterday afternoon sewing up reversible aprons together. This sewing session was one of my favorites yet, the girls drafted their own pattern and did such a wonderful job!

I love the reflection that a New Year brings, but today I'm really looking forward to 2017! I'll have some BIG goals and exciting news to share once I can get back to my regular blog routine. Unfortunately our wonderful break is ending with a nasty bug sweeping through, so in the meantime I want to wish you all a happy, creative New Year filled with health, love and joy!

XO Maureen

Garden Dreamer Sewing : :

Today I thought I'd pop in to share a few more of my recently finished Garden Dreamer projects! I've been working on some very fun sewing for the upcoming LookBook which I'll be sharing in full very soon.

Using all twenty pieces in the quilting cotton collection I had to whip up a patchwork holiday stocking. I love making these so much, how could I not treat myself to one in Garden Dreamer!



Always searching for a way to make use of my collection of knits, I chose to line this one with my Diamond Fragments knit. I love the way this substrate works for lining both these stockings and the bags I've been making lately. While making these projects I've noticed that I'm becoming more and more comfortable sewing with knits, so hopefully I'll be ready to tackle some garments soon enough!



Perhaps my favorite thing about making these stockings are the flower clusters I dress them up with! This one is a combination of Garden Dreamer, wool blend felt, and recycled sari twine purchased years ago from Anthropologie that couldn't be more perfect!



I also made a set of cozy pillowcases using my Twinkle star and Bumble prints in both of their colorways to showcase how well these work for sewing for both boys & girls. This first one features Twinklestar Blue with Bumble Buzz!



And this one is Twinklestar Berry with Bumble Beez!



Such a sweet pairing for bedding! I'm really looking forward to seeing these used in garments, as well!



Finally I have just a peek of my Garden Dreamer Herringbone Quilt. I offer this pattern in my Quick Quilt As You Go Craftsy Class and it will forever be a favorite of mine. I can't wait to see this one photographed as a whole!



I'm pretty certain I added in every color of AGF Pure Element solids that matched Garden Dreamer that I had in my stash and then I finished it with my yellow plaid, Terra Firma in Sunlit print for the binding. I'm so happy to finally have such a sunny yellow to sew with, it's one of my most favorite colors!



If you're looking, Fat Quarter Shop,  Llama Fabrics,  Lady Belle Fabric, and  Circa 15 Fabric Studio are all selling full collection stacks of Garden Dreamer in a variety of cuts! I'm so excited that AGF releases such beautiful LookBooks to celebrate the launch of each new collection. I'm really looking forward to sharing it with all of you and I hope you love these fabrics as much as I do!

♡ Maureen  

A Holiday Sample Sale : :

I'm having a special Sample Sale for holiday gift giving! Now through Friday use Coupon Code: FLASH20 for an extra 20% off ANY purchase in my Etsy shop --quilts, pillows, scrap bundles, stockings & more! Here are just a few of my favorites!

















Thanks for looking and have a great day! ♡ Maureen  

Quilted Patchwork Stockings!

These stockings are right up there with my favorite things to have EVER made! I LOVE patchwork and unique, dreamy, homey décor with a bohemian feel is without a doubt my favorite style!

Yesterday I shared a little peek of the fabric & felt flowers I spent the last couple of days making to dress up my first ever stockings-for-sale, and today I'm so excited to share this new handmade holiday item with all of you!





I started my own stocking assembly line by tracing one of my favorite extra-large sized stockings,  purchased several years ago before I had learned to sew, to use as my template. I picked out a collection of fabrics with a "wintry theme" in mind -- low volumes, shimmery solids, with some traditional holiday jewel tone prints mixed in.



I added my patchwork using my Quick Quilt As you Go method to create these double-sided stockings that can be hung whichever direction you choose!



Each stocking is lined with a Fleet & Flourish knit and the hanging loops are made with AGF denim!



With each stocking comes a beautiful fabric & felt flower cluster with recycled sari silk fringe. I had so much fun making these and love how they turned out! Each is finished with a vintage ricrac loop so they can be easily removed to double as a pretty ornament, as well!





You can find these new quilted patchwork holiday stockings and my other handmade gift items in my Etsy Shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/maureencracknell

I hope you love them as much as I do!!  XO Maureen