A New Love

OMG, I think I've found a new fabric love...

Have you heard of Cloud 9 Fabrics?  Until recently, I hadn't.  Then I visited a new-to-me quilt shop in Canada while on holiday and absolutely fell in love with a series of fabrics called Wildwood.  Naturally they came home with me.  (BTW, the grey fabric below is from the House & Garden collection, not Wildwood, but still Cloud9 Fabrics.)

Cloud9 Fabrics

I mean, come on - turquoise, navy, grey and a funky coral in cute designs and modern/retro vibe?  I was sold in an instant.  As an added bonus, the fabrics are also 100% organic, which can't be a bad thing.

Need more convincing?  Check out their other cute collections on the Cloud9 Fabrics website.

I think I need to ask my local quilt shop to start carrying these fabrics.  Just do me one favour...don't tell Moda...

Giraffe & Moon Baby Quilt

Hello, hello!

Well this post is looong overdue.  To be honest, it's sat in my drafts box for so long that I actually forgot that it existed.  So I think it's time to release it unto the world.

Now, the reason as to why I've waited so long to share this post is because I've been waiting on some photos of the completed project.  However, any one of you out there who has had a baby under the age of a year will know that taking photos of a baby quilt and sending them to your friend is likely to be as far down on your priority list as this blog post ultimately became, and I really can't blame the parents (my friends) for that.  So, despite my hope of showing off this little quilt with its infant owner, I have some non-baby-featuring photos to share instead.

I keep thinking of this quilt as the cow that jumped over the moon but strangely, these are giraffes, not cows.  I'm willing to argue that it could still pass with the nursery rhyme title, though.

Giraffes & Moon Baby Quilt

Giraffes & Moon Baby Quilt

This adorable quilt was bought as a kit in the States and given to friends (as a kit) for their baby shower, with the promise that it would magically turn into a quilt by the time the baby was born.  It features soft cottons, flannels and super cosy chenille fabrics, although I discovered just how frustrating chenille can be to quilt on, as it has a tendency to snap the quilting thread.  The Heat n'Bond piecing for the characters helped everything come together quickly and easily, with just a wee bit of block piecing afterwards.

Moon & Meander Quilting

Giraffe & Hand Blanket Stitching

The blanket stitching is done by hand and the rest of the sewing and quilting were done by machine.  A combination of traditional straight and free motion meander quilting were used with a variegated blue cotton quilt thread.

The project came together very quickly with two people working on it together.  Needless to say, the parents were thrilled and baby Max loves his quilt.

Quilt Your Stash 2016 - Week One

Hello, hello!

Last week I was flipping through my Instagram when a post by Sherri at A Quilting Life caught my eye: Quilt Your Stash 2016.  Well, hello there, I thought.

Like every other crafter out there, I have a stash and I'm sure like many crafters, using it is a bit of a love/hate scenario - I know I should but often it can be so hard to cut into that beautiful, pristine fabric. However, I've been taking baby steps trying to organise my fabric so that I get better at using it up, especially the leftovers from completed projects.  One of the things that particularly caught my eye about Sherri's post was not just the idea of using pretty fabrics already on hand but the organisational aspect (I've already ear marked the book she recommended, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organzng by Marie Kondo - I blame the OCD in me but whatever).

Anyway, let's cut to the chase.  Earlier this week Sherri posted Week One of her new series.  There were three tasks to complete:

1. Clean off all sewing/quilting surfaces - Done!  Sewing table tidied up and I even put away the box full of scrapbooking supplies that was occupying my sewing machine chair.  Double score!

2. Make a list of works in progress - Done!  I currently have four WIPs and decided to use the form recommended by Sherri from AllPeopleQuilt to record my 2016 quilting plans.

3. Make a list of projects to start this year - Done!  It wasn't easy choosing new projects for the year - so much to choose from, but I'm hoping that I've chosen a fun mix of projects I've been wanting to work on, both big and small.  Ultimately, my goal is to surpass my 2015 list of 6 completed projects.

Here's my 2016 project plan list:

The UFO Challenge has already drawn January's project to complete number - 2.  Looks like I'll be getting starting on my pixelated heart wallhanging and with any luck, I'll get it down both before Valentine's Day and in time for next month's guild show and tell.

2015 Year in Review

Welcome back and Happy New Year!

For the first time ever, I feel I was productive enough with my sewing last year that I can justify writing an annual 'completed projects' post - yeah!  It's all thanks to my new-to-me sewing machine, my Janome 6600P.  So without further ado, here is a run down of last year's finished projects.

Dinosaur Baby Shower Gifts

Six Pocket Tote Bag

Baby Quilt - Group Sew

Tula Pink Handbag

Harmonic Convergence Wallhanging

Diamond Jubilee Jelly Roll Race Quilt

That Cat Wallhanging

So six completed solo projects, one completed group project, plus another three quilts/wallhangings very close to completion - that's a pretty tidy sum for a year by my record.  Stay tuned for a peak of what I hope to have in store for 2016, coming soon.

Heritage Photo - Familjen

Hello, hello!

Welcome back to the final installment of my friend's heritage photo project series.  If you've missed the first two layouts in the series, you can find them here and here.  Today we're checking out the last layout, which features a fabulous photo of Bertil with a handmade toy bow and arrow, a portrait of him and the family together.  I have to say, I absolutely adore that bow and arrow photo!

Background is again from Webster's Pages.  This teal woodgrain paper has long been a favourite of mine so it's pretty special that I'm giving the last I have of it away but it was just too perfect with these photos to not use.  This LO also used up the last of that cute ruler washi tape but I managed to eek it out across the bottom.

That little gap in the title between the l and j was the perfect opportunity to add a little embellishment.  I unfortunately hadn't brought my heart punch with me and after many failed attempts at drawing a symmetrical heart the right size with which I was happy, I decided to go for a funkier heart style instead.

Embellishment cluster above that awesome bow and arrow photo - just look at the expression on that adorable face!  The cork star on the right had been an embossing attempt that I wasn't thrilled with on another project but I liked the look of for this one - you have to love when that happens.

And a bit of embellishment at the bottom of the photo to tie it all together.

And that's it!  My friend will be giving these to her brother as a belated birthday gift and I'm eager to hear what his reaction to them is.  Birgitta is thrilled with them at any rate.  Next year we'll work on the lock of hair and photos for her sister.

Heritage Photo - Syskon

Hi again!

Today I'm sharing the second layout in my friend's heritage photo project.  If you missed the first LO, you can see it here.

This second LO features photos of the three siblings together.  The original photo of Bertil holding their baby sister was very small, dark and a bit damaged but the photo development company did a lovely job at scanning, enlarging and reprinting it and in such a way that the lighting now helps to draw your eye into the two children.

The background papers are from Webster's Pages by Adrienne Looman.  The embellishment clusters feature arrows and hearts and I purposely put down the washi tape so that it counted up to three to reflect the number of siblings.  I also used some stamping on this LO, even though it's in English it fitted the theme well.  Birgitta may go back and write on the journaling card so I've left it open for her, should she decide to do so.

Pink chevron arrow is from Crate Paper; which I chose because of the aged look and the weathered cello tape accents.

The stamping for the arrows was done on a branding strip, which was the perfect size.  Hearts and rhinestones with gold lame spatters are layered up on the embellishment clusters.

The bottom embellishment cluster features three arrows, again symbolising the three siblings, and a little stamping with a roller stamp that fitted well with the photo of brother and baby sister together.

Thanks for stopping by; be sure to come back for the final LO installment.

Heritage Photos - Bertil

Welcome back!

Earlier this year a friend asked me if I could help her with a special heritage project for her brother and sister.  Having saved for decades some childhood locks of hair from her siblings, my friend Birgitta wanted to preserve them with some photos into a special scrapbooked layout as gifts, but not being a scrapbooker herself, she enlisted my help.

We got the original photos (some of which were a bit damaged) professionally re-printed and the company did a fantastic job resorting them.  Then, not really knowing what supplies I should bring with me, I packed up a hodge podge collection of papers and embellishments and spent a day at hers busily playing with paper.

Luckily, the remaining collection of Webster's Pages papers by Allison Looman I'd brought with me were a perfect choice for the project and breathed new life into the beautiful black and white photography.  They also matched well with one of the papers Birgitta already had and which I decided upon for the background of the first layout.

This first LO features Bertil, aged 1, along with the lock of his hair and a handwritten note from their mother.  All three LOs feature elements of the same papers and gold lame mist spatters for a sense of cohesion, along with brown accents and lettering, twine, wood veneer or cork embellishments for that masculine feel and a narrow ruler washi tape for that hint of vintage.  I had hoped to also use some old fashioned black or cream photo corners but sadly, couldn't find any so opted for a very narrow mounting on dark black/brown patterned paper instead.  It was decided that the embellishing could be a bit more simplistic, as this would likely appeal more to Bertil.

 

Handwritten note from their mother.  Yes, it is the original.  It was a bit nerve-wrecking adding adhesive to such a precious piece of memorabilia but it was important to Birgitta that we use the original and we did take copies.

Small letter stickers for the years, by Glitz Designs.  The twirly twine is always a bit tricky to get right and glue down well but looks fab once it's done and it helps to reinforce the curliness of that lock of hair...

The original tie around the lock of hair wasn't very attractive or sturdy so I wrapped twine over top to help secure the hair further.  I also didn't want to risk applying adhesive to the hair directly so the wrapped twine gave me a good place to attach the lock without damaging the hair itself.

For the frame, we bought open-fronted art canvas frames that are 12" square and they work perfectly for scrapbooking layouts and the black wood make the B&W photograph pop nicely.

Stay tuned for the next two LOs in the series shortly (LO #2 - Syskon).

TpT Advent Sale!

Dear fellow teaching colleagues, it's sale time!

My TpT store is participating in the site-wide Cyber Smile sale from November 30-December 2, 2015 where you can save up to 28% on all those teaching goodies you've been wish-listing.

If you're also an IB teacher, check out these useful resources designed specifically for use in IB schools and with the Essential Elements:

Even if you don't use the IB curriculum, there are plenty of other useful resources for all classes, such as word wall vocabulary cards, Oxford Reading Tree worksheets and maths worksheets:

Or perhaps you're looking for a little something to spice up those boring class meetings with parents?

Head on over to the shop and grab some new resources!

Jingle by Kate Spain

Hello, hello!

Look what came home with me from quilt guild:

This was the first time I've seen any quilt shops here in Sweden selling Moda scrap bags and how excited was I to find this one bag with fabric scraps from Kate Spain's gorgeous Jingle collection?  Squee!

Honestly, I couldn't wait to get home to break into these beautiful fabrics and start some Christmas sewing.  Hello, Pinterest - find me some inspiration!  And then I found this and completely fell in love:

Snow Kissed Star Pattern

If you're interested, this pattern is featured in the November/December 2011 issue of McCall's Quilting magazine and I was able to purchase a digital copy of the publication online.  Christmas sewing is officially underway!

That Cat! Wallhanging

Hello and welcome back!

Today I'm thrilled to share with you my most recently finished project - my That Cat wallhanging (pattern featured in McCall's Quick Quilts).

This project went together so quickly and easily, even despite the half inch wide black grid requiring precis piecing.  It's very striking (please ignore the hideous wallpaper from the previous owners) and I love the rich oranges - it makes me happy every time I look at it.

I put my own little twist on the project with the cat's collar.  In the original project, it's an orange fabric strip but I decided I wanted something a bit more witch-y so I used a metallic silver ribbon and then sewed on a silver and rhinestone star-shaped pendant for a little sparkle and bling.

I shared this project recently at my guild's show and tell and it was very popular and well received.  I've sent a photo off to McCall's Quick Quilts and fingers crossed it might be featured in a future magazine - we'll see.