Projects Aplenty

Happy Thursday friends! It is another early morning (4:01 AM) and I thought I would quickly stop by for another visit. Today, I thought I would share with you a plethora of recent sewing projects for clients - project bags, zippered pouches and a large quilted retreat mat. It is always enjoyable to work with the fabulous fabrics my clients supply for their custom orders. I have been busy getting client orders complete, so I can focus on new design work...and sewing for my Etsy shop. I will have some new patterns and designs coming out over the next couple months and I need to make time to sit down at my desk and work on layouts and instructions....plus, I want to do some extensive design work for a few ideas floating around my sketchbooks. I have multiple upcoming fabric collections to work/design with for Poppie Cotton (collections for remainder of 2024 and into 2025!) and several Therm O Web Blog projects for the upcoming months. AND...a very dear friend recently sent/gifted me yardage (like ten plus yards!!) of Blackbird Designs sampler fabric (yes, I truly have incredible friends in my small circle!), which I am itching to create with for my shop...but some other things on my plate are taking priority for the next week or two. I am hoping to cut into it this coming weekend (if I am lucky!). Alright, I will stop babbling and get to the photos, so I can get back to my sewing studio...

While I am here, I just have to share this zipper photo I took - I order zippers by the hundreds (like 500 at a time!) several times a year - and here is a colorful photo I took of some of the latest order (the other bunches were of single colors, so not as exciting). I had to stock up, so I could work on more project bags and items for my Etsy shop...

Finally - here is another colorful photo I took of some hot air balloons flying over our small, rural neighborhood this past weekend. We have lots of large fields and open areas around us and hot air balloons can be seen often on postcard days. When I posted this photo on my Instagram story, one of my close friends said that the patterns on the balloons looked like quilt designs...I think so too! 💕

Pretty Projects Aplenty

Hello friends! It is Friday evening and I thought I would stop by for a creative post, filled with recent sewing and quilting projects. After a day week  month filled with computer issues and challenge after challenge, I decided to visit with you and share some sewing studio accomplishments. I have been working on all sorts of client projects, as I am doing some extensive traveling over the next few months and I am trying to get the piles under control. I am model stitching and sewing in the late evenings, working on some new charts and patterns, as well...it is a very fine balancing act. It has been awhile since my last project post...because life...and there were way too many images to share, so here is an assortment of Project Bags, Needle & Scissor Keeps, Quilt Retreat Mats and Stitch Starter Ruler Sleeves. I believe almost all of these were custom projects for clients, where the customer supplied the fabrics (there are a few of my own fabric creations tossed in, too) and these were all made with my own pattern designs...enjoy!

Also on the sewing front...a little over a month ago, I took a wonderful Free Motion Quilting on Sewing Machines class from Liz Granberg-Jerome, the owner of Gypsy Dreamer Quilts. I rarely have an opportunity to take a class (I am usually teaching them)…and this class was something special! I didn't have much free motion quilting experience and Liz was such an excellent teacher - seriously, if you have a chance to take one of her classes, make sure you attend! Here is a photo of the sample I worked up in class - my first attempt at free motion quilting. Now, I just need time to practice...because this is definitely a technique that improves greatly with practice....

This evening I will take a break from client projects and clear my head - I plan to do some model stitching on a new cross stitch design that brings me joy and watch a movie. I just need to take a very deep breath and regroup. I will be back again soon with recent needlework finishing...and there is a lot of that to share, as well...

Thanks for visiting...and a special thank you to those who commented and messaged me about my previous post - I tried to reply to everyone that did not comment from a "no reply" account. I truly appreciate the uplifting and kind words...I really do!

Sunshine and Rainbows

Happy Monday friends! It is a hot and humid evening and I just came inside from letting our dogs run in our backyard  for a bit. I am not feeling my best today, so I opted for a desk day. I have been working on my Etsy Shop and my website. I really would like to have all my Blue Ribbon Designs  patterns/charts available in both printed paper format and digital download PDF format, so I have spent the majority of my day converting patterns and  printing the newest designs for my shop - I am really hoping that over the next couple months, I will have them all available in both formats - it's slow going, but I am getting there. I also took some time to catch up on correspondence, do some accounting, and work on a new design layout. I thought I would pop in and do a quick blog update, before I attempt to do a little sewing. I know, I know, THREE blog posts in one week!...I'm shocked myself...but don't get too used to it, my work piles are overwhelming at the moment, so it may be a bit before I am back again...

Today's post is really a photo show of some of my most recent projects (the ones I can share)…some needlework finishing (not my stitching - just my finishing and some of my designs), some customer sewing and quilting, and a homemade gift or two...basically a selection of photos that show some of the "happy" that has been on my studio tables over the last few weeks. I'll do my best to provide details in the captions, if I have them...

Entwined Hearts by the The Scarlett House

Entwined Hearts by the The Scarlett House

Small Project Bag (my original design)

Cosmetic Bag (my original design)

Large Project Bag and Cosmetic Bag (my original designs)

Scissors and Needle Keep (my original design)

Quilt Retreat Mat (my original design)

Large Project Bag and Small Project Bag (my original designs)

Coasters (my original design)

Pretty Posies Pouch (my original design)
PDF Pattern: https://www.etsy.com/listing/943706179/pretty-posies-pouch-quilt-pattern
Paper Pattern: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1232483326/pretty-posies-pouch-quilt-pattern-paper

Sweet Slice of Liberty (my original design)
PDF Pattern: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1028614966/sweet-slice-of-liberty-brd-121-counted
Paper Pattern: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1232437426/sweet-slice-of-liberty-brd-121-counted

A Star of Top (my original design)
Free pattern on my website: https://blueribbondesigns.com

Roses, Hearts and Chickens by Pinker 'n Punkin Quilting

Prim Winter - Joy by Chickens by Pinker 'n Punkin Quilting
Prim Winter - Home by Pinker 'n Punkin Quilting

My Frosty Friend (my original design)
Free pattern can be found here:
https://blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com/2021/11/my-frosty-friend-2021-cross-stitch.html

Friendship Sampler by Birds of a Feather

My studio has been quite productive and there are some things I can't show you yet. Plus, I have done a bunch of project bags for my Etsy Shop (I won't bore you with a million photos of them)...and if you are looking for one of the limited Large Sunflower Project Bags (for the limited Lady Dot Creates Sunflowers for Ukraine Accessories), there is currently one left at the time of this posting...I could possibly have a few more in the future, but I have used up most of the fabrics.

I did pick up this fabulous fabric from my local quilt shop a week ago - this is Renew by Sweetwater for Moda - seriously, how CUTE are those little rainbows...and I just love the positive, happy message of this fabric line. I don't have a plan for these yet, but one is brewing...

Thanks for visiting with me today - I hope you are feeling inspired! Take a little time to create something just for you...