Bee Happy Blocks

There are people in this business who never cease to amaze me, and Lori Holt is one of them. She has an unending store of creativity with new ideas constantly on the horizon. It's so wonderful to see! Riley Blake asked if I would be a part of her Bee Happy Quilt Sew Along this month, and though I was afraid that last weekend's wonderful trip to Quilt Market would keep me from finishing my blocks in time, it all worked out in the end.

My assignments were the Pin Cushion and Coral Flowers blocks. I almost never do applique work, so it took me a while to get in the swing of things with this project. Once I hit my stride, though, I really enjoyed getting the chance to do some sewing by hand for a change. Instead of waiting for time at my sewing machine in the afternoons, I could work on this at my teacher desk while homeschooling my daughters. (Did I mention, by the way, that I have three desks? One is for sewing, one for teacher work, and one for designing fabric. No wonder I'm always running around like a crazy woman during the day!) It was a real treat to sew in the mornings during school, and I'm quite tempted to take up more applique in the future just so I can do more of this.

For my Coral Flowers block, I wanted to bring in more color than the original block called for, so I alternated red, pink, aqua, and navy around the corners with a yellow flower in the middle. The green leaves and stems balance it all out, and I like the way this has an almost folk art look to it. I started to quilt the flowers, but decided that I liked them better as they were.

Blue gingham paired nicely with the front, and I stitched a line just inside the edge of the pillow cover which gives the illusion of piping. This pillow looks just perfect sitting on a chair in our family living room.

The pincushion block is surprisingly intricate for such a small piece, but I love the way it turned out. I simplified the "Bee" inscription on the mason jar, using one line of stitching instead of the original pattern's two lines. I also left off the "pins" on the far left and right so that I could use just one button of each color to make a rainbow at the top. That fussy cutting on the lid makes me so happy!

I turned this block into the cover of a little kit for holding small notebooks and pens, almost a simpler version of my Stationery Kit tutorial.

These projects were such a pleasure to make, and I enjoyed getting the chance to broaden my skills a bit. Every new challenge, however large or small, is always exciting for me, and I think it's good to keep looking for these opportunities to grow. Just when I think I might be getting a little stale, I find myself falling in love with sewing all over again...

Gingham Girls Stationery Kit

When I was a little girl, my mother sewed clothes for me and my sister whenever she could. After getting a glimpse of Amy Smart's new collection Gingham Girls for Penny Rose Fabrics, I was almost certain that she'd gotten a peek at my childhood closet. These prints would be right at home among those handmade dresses.

Light and happy and just a touch patriotic, Gingham Girls couldn't be more perfect for summer sewing.

I haven't stitched up a Stationery Kit from my tutorial in a while, and it always makes for a fun afternoon of sewing. While I love using these projects to hold note cards and stickers, they make sweet little sewing kits with just the quick addition of a felt rectangle for needles and pins.

I especially like using them for paper piecing. That snap pocket is just the right size for 1" hexagon paper pieces!

The more I work with Amy's fabric, the more I love it. I introduced her prints to my fabric stash too and found that it played really well with the rest of my collection. The kit was an early Mother's Day gift for my mom -- and a not nearly big enough "thank you" for all the gorgeous clothes she made for me over the years. I love you, Mom! You're amazing!!

Be sure to check in at Amy's website for more stops on the Gingham Girls tour in the next few weeks!

Strawberry Biscuit Sewing Kit

Even before I wrote my Stationery Kit tutorial, I knew that one day I'd have to try a sewing kit version. And when my friends at Riley Blake & Penny Rose Fabrics said that they were sending me a layer cake of Elea Lutz's upcoming Strawberry Biscuit collection...well, that's all it took. 

First, let's talk about the fabric. This collection is ADORABLE. Elea is a fabric designer who does vintage style so well, and the cuteness meter is pretty much always off the charts. I love every print in this collection, but the plaid Biscuit Birds might just be my favorite. Singing birds on a wire sharing a songbook? My heart melts every time I see them...

This kit is exactly the same as my original tutorial except that I added a bit of felt as a landing spot for needles and pins. I also sewed up a little 2 x 4'' case for my embroidery scissors that fits in one of the larger pockets so that they don't fall out.

My youngest daughter is absolutely fascinated by the darling animals inside the tiny envelope pocket on the left. She kept flipping it open while I was trying to style my photo shoot -- and was so thrilled with it every time that I didn't have the heart to shoo her away.

It seems like every time I write a post, I tell you that, "This new thing that I just sewed is my new favorite thing!" It must sound like I have a really short attention span, but the truth is that...well...it's the truth. Maybe that's one of the reasons why I love sewing so much. It feels new and special again every time I finish another project. After a day full of grading papers, folding laundry, and vet appointments, those few minutes of sewing that I can sneak in before dinner feel like an honest-to-goodness silver lining -- just one more reason to remember that life really is so good.