Finished and Waiting : :

This weekend I finally finished up my Bottled Rainbows Quilt! I can hardly believe it myself!! I started this quilt just as most people were finishing theirs as part of Rachel's Quilt Along, with my very first block being made just before last July.

A whole year, almost! And, now I'm waiting for it to stop raining so I can take some good photos.



I couldn't decide on how to finish this quilt -- at all! I can't tell you how many times I changed my mind. I finally pulled the colorful stack of Riley Blake Chevrons from my shelf late Friday and just went for it! It was a chance for me to add a little black, like I really wanted. And since this quilt is another very special project made up of all those scraps from the last two years, I thought that finishing it with something from Riley Blake would make it even more so. Just another way for me to remember being a part of their team this year!



Our pile of quilts is looking pretty colorful!





I definitely plan to get myself some more of these chevrons. I'm pretty sure most shops are restocking. Oh, and have you seen the new tonals they have coming out in August?? I'm excited!

I picked RBD chevrons for my last Design Team project and again last week for the RBD Pin Cushion Club on the Cutting Corners Blog -- please do check that out!! I didn't get a chance to share it here because of my weekend giveaway. Yup, I definitely love these chevrons!



After finishing up this second, rather large quilt in just a little more than a weeks time, I realized two things --

1. I really need to make smaller quilts, but not toddler size or minis. My Scrappy Quilt measured larger than a queen, this one larger than a twin. I would prefer to make a few on the smaller scale before tackling another large quilt. What is your favorite size quilt to make?? 

2. I need to buy more yardage! I have been stashing fabrics with a passion for a good year now, usually picking up 1/2 yd cuts most often. When it came to deciding on a quilt back for each of these, piecing together something I was happy with felt like more of a challenge than the quilt top. Do you typically buy 1 yard cuts or larger, to have on hand just for your quilt backs?? 

I have a few fabrics that are several yard cuts (for curtains)...



And, just a few more that are one yard cuts...



I think most of you have seen pictures of my sewing room -- I have quite a bit of fabric and clearly need to change the way I shop!!  

I look forward to hearing your ideas!! ♥ Maureen 

p.s. If you're looking for my Sew Mama Sew! May Giveaway -- click HERE!!

Back to Busy : :

I woke up early this morning and came right into my sewing room.



Right away I began to sew my rainbow quilt blocks together. Thirty five minutes and two rows in and I had my first visitor. And, then my second....and then third.

It felt like Summer and reminded me just how my sewing time was last year -- a few minutes here, a few minutes there. Most the time that's alright, but this morning I was really hoping for at least an hour!  



I'm hoping to find a little more time to finish off this quilt top today, wish me luck!

♥ Maureen

What's new -- In the Studio : :

A new King Fox Pillow -- it has certainly been a while since I've made one of these!

Some new Polka-dot fabrics -- they're beginning to take over!

A new sewing basket, in a fabric that I just LOVE -- usually I am only drawn to vintage or wooden ones.

Some more sweet birdie prints -- just for fun!

A matching, super cute, super handy pin cushion -- I already started filling it with those special owly eye buttons.

Some special fabrics for tea towel making -- I have big plans for these!

Lots of new pins -- that my oldest kindly color-coated for me.

More fabrics -- all with a pretty coral color that I just cannot seem to get enough of!

I've already added a little of these in a polka-dot patchwork boarder to my owl applique -- I have some plans for those scraps, as well!

Thanks so much for all the help with the buttons! I'm use to getting most my feedback from those 8 and under!

Be sure to stop back tomorrow for a very special Giveaway!  ~ Maureen

Today I : :

~ started a new applique project...

~ realized that this is the very first time I have stitched with black thread -- I love it!

~ am hoping to make three more by this weekend...

~ am admiring the very old wooden clothes pins spilled out onto my desk...

~ am loving the combination of old wood, new thread, and wool felt...

~ am delighted with my friends reaction to her new pin cushion...

~ am watching my little one find lots of things she likes in our newest sewing book...

~ am very happy that after a rather dark morning, as I finish writing this -- the sun is finally shining!

Wishing you all a lovely day and to not forget about my Giveaway!  ~ Maureen

Patchwork Pin Cushion Giveaway : :

Last week when I shared my new Scrappy Selvage Pin Cushion, I promised to give one away as well and here it is!

It's made of all Anna Maria Horner scraps, including a selvage label from one of her prints, with a little stitched heart. I realized while gathering my scraps for the bottled rainbows quilt-along, that most of my scraps are Good Folks and almost all of them are a print designed by the fabulous Anna Maria Horner. This little pin cushion is perfect if like me, you're a fan (I'm sure you are)!

For the first time I am stashing some solids this week. If you visit here often you know this is a first for me -- I am such a print girl! But I do love color too, so these are making me just as happy.

Now I am almost ready to begin work on that new quilt...

But first the GIVEAWAY!

Leave a comment if you'd like a chance to win, and up to five more -- one for each of the places you might follow or fan Maureen Cracknell Handmade -- here at my blog, my facebook, my flickr, my etsy, and my newest most favoritest place to get inspired and share (like I needed another) -- my pinterest.

This giveaway is open to EVERYONE!!! Sometime Friday I will announce the winner!

the good, the bad, and the ugly...

Well, this is my creative space for today and I am not at all liking what I see. After sitting at the sewing table for just a minute this morning I realized that today I needed to spend a little time fixing a few things before I begin any new projects...

The good (try) -- In a quick attempt to keep my wips and a couple pillow covers where I can see them, I hung this mini clothes line, which is actually piping. It's a good solution, but terrible looking! Problem one.


The bad -- I have seen so many beautiful pin cushions in my sewing books, on blogs, and flickr, but for some reason I keep using this tomato, why? I have like 5 of these for some reason? I must empty out whatever is inside them and make a new pretty one soon immediately. Problem two.


The Ugly -- It's only been a few weeks since I shared my little room in the works, fairly neat and organized. Today every corner is disheveled and my fabric shelf is overflowing with supplies that don't belong here and more fabrics are on the way. Problem three.

So, this is what my afternoon looks like. Hopefully I'll have some pretty solutions to show you in a little bit!
Happy creating!  ~ Maureen