Fox Pillow Making : :

This morning I have three fox pillow orders to finish to ship out later today. I really do love making these applique pillows, you can always find them made to order in my little etsy shop!



While the pale aqua and orange fox pillow combo is by far the most popular, I love it when a customer requests a different color combo or a little extra added embellishment like this dapper tie!



Or a sweet lady fox with a purple bow!





After finishing up each felt pillow front, I audition fabrics for my pillow backings. This time I was able to use up some large, quilted patchwork scraps for one, and settled on my Folk Plaid print for Mr. Fox and a cute polka-dot from my stash for the missus.





These fun pillows make such a nice break from all the quilt work and birthday crown making!



Now my busy week of sewing is finally off to a good start! How about you, what are you working on this week?
  
♡ 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

A Pretty Pink Tote Bag : :

I can't believe it has already been a couple weeks since the night I started this tote bag! Which will explain all the dark photos, yikes! One thing I do plan to do in this new, glorious year is lots and lots of more applique projects. I do love applique!! And, I'm excited to finally share this pretty pink bag today, yet another handmade gift for the holiday!



This particular applique was so simple and completely inspired by one of the Joel Dewberry Notting Hill fabrics I recently stashed from Sprightly Fabrics, Primrose in Magenta.



Mimicking the simple, modern flower, made up of stacked circle shapes in Mr. Dewberry's lovely design, plus a couple fussy-cut leaves from a Stockholm print, just as I did on this pillow -- this applique came together super quickly with some Heat'n Bond Lite and a little zig zag stitching with black thread.



The night I finished up this bag front I was so tempted to continue sewing this into a colorful quilt top! I had to hang it up to snap a quick photo and stare at it just a little while before I could move on with my tote bag making. What do you think about a quilt made up of these blocks?



The rest of the bag is made up of a few more Notting Hill fabrics, some pretty pink Pure Element solids, and a little coral pink polka-dot!



It came together using very similar instructions to the Quilted Tote Bag Tutorial that I put together for Riley Blake. I love the soft, sturdiness the batting and quilted stitches add, while leaving it very washer friendly!



I've made a few other bags in a new style that I'll be sharing soon! How about you, what have you been stitching up? I'm loving all the Scrappy Trip Along photos I've been seeing everywhere!!

Patchwork Wheel Block Tote : :

I had mentioned earlier in the week that I had plans to turn my cut-too-little patchwork wheel quilt block into a version of my quilted tote bag (tutorial here). Can you have too many tote bags? I don't think so!



It's made up of a rainbow of scraps from my scraps basket, along with some more of those Riley Blake Chevrons! I swear, the chevrons in my studio are multiplying!?

It's over-sized and has a really large squared off bottom, which should fit everything I need to take when the five of us leaves the house nicely.



I did make the straps a little long, but I think that ended up being a happy mistake. I have made several tote bags now and this is the first that is a cross-body bag, which is actually how I prefer to wear my bags anyways.



These quilted bags are super simple to make, they're lined, washable, super soft, and can be folded up and tucked away, plus I think it's really fun! Yup, I like it!

I really did have such a great sewing week!! And then... last night my biggest "sewing fear" happened! Throughout these last two years of sewing, I have experienced it all -- both little and big rotary and scissor cuts to the fingers, needle pokes, iron burns, I even hand-stitched a piece of embroidery work to my pants! Well, last night while working on a second dress, this time for Haila, I was using a stitch similar to a serge stitch, and I sewed right through my finger. As in through my nail and all the way to the other side. NOT GOOD!! I broke the needle and even had to pull a thread out that was running in one side and out the other. ACK! It's super sore, but honestly I am amazed that the aftermath isn't worse. Crazy!!

Good thing I have a Fabric Giveaway planned for tomorrow (here's a peek), because I think it's wise for me to take the day off and slow down a little. I'm sure you all have your own sewing injury stories -- feel free to share!!

Who knew sewing could be so dangerous? Good thing it's immensely satisfying!
Take care, friends!! ♥ Maureen