From The Studio...

Today's post will be a short one...just a few photos to show you what I have been creating for Christmas...these gifts have all been delivered, so I thought I would share them with you. Although my sewing machine is still waiting to be fixed, I managed to get quite a few pieces quilted and sewn before it broke down (or I used my old machine). Each year, I try to make the majority of my gifts - and this year was no exception...

Pincushion Tuffet and Needlebook Scissor Case
My own patterns.
Fabrics: Polka Dot Stitches by Lori Holt of Bee In My Bonnet for Riley Blake
Wee Play by American Jane Patterns Sandy Klop for Moda

Strippy Table Runner
Pattern: "Strippy Table Set" by Patterns by Jean Boyd
Fabric: Sent With Love by Deb Strain for Moda

Machine Embroidered Flour Sack Kitchen Towels
Machine Embroidery:  Vintage Kitchen Set, digitized by Splinters and Threads

Quartered Nines Table Topper
Pattern: Quartered Nines - my own variation...
Fabric: Wiscasset by Minick & Simpson for Moda

Willow Tree Candle Mat
Pieceful Gathering Quilt Shop pattern by Debbie Lazarski
Fabrics: Unknown - Kitted Scraps

Of course I made a few other presents...and purchased some special things too - this is just a sampling of the personalized gifts I have been creating in the studio....

I hope your holidays have been filled with handmade and heartfelt gifts!

Fandango Fun

I managed to get a huge pile of pincushions completed this week...and even got the first batch listed in my Etsy shop this evening. These pincushion tuffets have a pieced top (the fabric is Fandango by Kate Spain for Moda) and a wool felt fabric bottom...each has a coordinating wool felt flower embellishment pinned in place and two decorative pins (one heart and one leaf). This bright, cheerful fabric reminds me of the beach and was very fun to piece! I have pincushions from three other fabric lines completed and ready to post, as well - so look for those very soon...and I have a fun new item I am adding later this week (I finished six of them yesterday) and can't wait to share it with you!!

My June "Just Because" Giveaway is still open until Friday, so if you haven't entered already, visit yesterday's post for details...

More Madeira Needlework Treasures

Over the weekend I made time to finish twelve more pincushion tuffets...this time I made them varying sizes...I kept them all approximately 3.5" wide, but made several different lengths. Still working with my stash from the collection Madeira by Blackbird Designs for Moda for the pincushion tops and my stash of wool felts for the pincushion bottoms, I pieced all of them in an afternoon and stuffed/whipped stitched them closed in an evening.

Still "feeling" this fabric and having plenty on hand, I wanted to play with it a little bit more - so, I decided to make a needlebook with a couple pockets for scissors and tools. I didn't have a pattern, but I knew exactly what I wanted...so I just started collecting supplies and cutting fabrics. Long story short, one needlebook scissor case turned into twelve....and I took great notes, so I could make more in the future. There are two different sizes (one is just a wee bit smaller)...both are embellished with fun trims and special buttons....and they all use sampler print fabric for the two lined pockets inside. I used various wool felts/fabrics for the needlebook pages and the closure is a colored elastic loop that hooks around a button. Each one is a bit different and special...and I really enjoyed the creative process that produced each one.

I would like to thank many of you for your support and encouragement in opening my new Etsy shop - you have been so very kind. I managed to get all twenty-four of these pieces listed in my shop today...so slowly, but surely, I am "filling my shelves"...

Sunshiny Sewing

I have been trying to make a little time to sew each day - I am always happier and more relaxed when I can find a few minutes at my sewing machine. I have been in the mood to work with some bright, cheerful fabrics...so I made a half dozen more tuffet pincushions and a couple sets of snack mats (mug rugs). These are all made from the fabric collection Recipe for Friendship by Mary Engelbreit for Moda - isn't it adorable?! The snack mats are trimmed with rick rack and measure approximately 7.5" x 7.5"...the pincushions measure approximately 3.5" x 5" x 1.75" and are adorned with (pinned on) wool felt flowers. I really enjoyed working with this fabric line and making these fun treasures...and yes, these will be in my Etsy shop, for those of you who are interested - I will be listing them tomorrow. I had hoped to get quite a few items in the shop today (I did manage to get all the photos taken) but time got away from me - it WILL happen tomorrow. For now, I am off to cook dinner and then model stitching for the rest of the evening...

Pretty Little Pincushions

I have to start today's blog post by thanking everyone who has taken a moment to vote for my two finalist quilt blocks in the AccuQuilt Barn Quilt Contest - I really REALLY appreciate your votes! I can't wait to see if my block(s) make the Top 20 - I'm still crossing my fingers. If you haven't had a chance to vote - there is still time - voting is open through Wednesday, April 18th.

To vote:
Please visit: http://www.accuquilt.com/barnquilt/entry.html/
My finalist blocks are #21 and #24
Click on the boxes UNDER my blocks.
Thank you so very much (you make me happy!)..and you will be the first to know if my blocks advance to the final round!

On to today's creative post. I have been spending my afternoon's in my sewing studio - after finishing the piece for the New England Stitcher's Retreat, I found I needed a little break and have found much joy and contentment working on a few sewing/quilting projects....don't get me wrong, I have still been model stitching in the evenings, just taking a couple hours a day to unwind. I have been making a bunch of my tuffet pincushions - each is approximately 3.5" x 5" x 1.75" and adorned with a (pinned on) little wool heart. The pincushions in the photographs use the fabric collection Beach House by Blackbird Designs for Moda for the tops and coordinating wool felt for the bottoms. I have had a lot of fun putting these together and actually have a large pile (using different fabrics) to stuff and whip stitch closed - I just happened to run out of "stuffing".

So on to some BIG news: I am opening an Etsy shop where I will start listing all the pretty little things I like to make that don't have a "home". I have the storefront built and you are welcome to visit and mark it as a favorite - the "shelves" are still empty, but I will start listing items this week - including the pincushions you are seeing in this post. In addition to my pincushions, over time, I will be adding a lot of the things you have seen me post about: snack mats/mug rugs, napkin holders, ort holders, zipper pouches, project bags, drawstring bags, journal covers...pretty much whatever I feel moved to create. When I post about my sewing/quilting projects, I will be sure to let you know if I am adding those items to my Etsy shop...I will also be adding a few creative crafting supplies - such as: special die cut wool/fabric shapes, pretty pins, and supplies that relate to the projects I share with you. You can find me at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/BlueRibbonDesigns...I look forward to your visit!

Tomato Tuffets

While I was shopping with friends in Franklin, TN, I picked up the cutest Tomato Pincushion kit at The Quilting Squares Quilt Shop & Knit Emporium (Tomato Pin Cushion by P.S. Goin' Sewin'). It contained everything needed to make two tomato spool pincushions...I just provided a needle, glue and scissors...easy peasy...and in true Belinda fashion, I added some ribbon from my stash. I had started the process of creating these the day after I got home from my Nashville trip, but (as usual) I was sidetracked and put them aside....then yesterday morning, one of my shopping companions sent me a photo of her completed pincushions and it was just the motivation I need to finish mine! The "tomato" and the "strawberry" are felt balls...the tops are green wool felt...and pearl cotton floss was used to make the tomato wedges, attach the tops, and connect the strawberry. So adorable and so easy! I thought about painting my spools to give them a bit of pizazz, but opted to add some coordinating striped 1" grosgrain ribbon from my stash...which I thought was a nice splash of color to the plain wooden spool. I liked this idea so much, I went to my stash of wool felt/felt balls and made a couple without spools...these will make fun gifts throughout the year...and look cute with or without the spool. I just love the petite size - perfect for a small sewing box or taking on the go...the tomato only measures approximately 1.75" wide (the wooden spools measure 1.25" W x 2" H). I hope this quick and easy project inspires you to make a couple pincushions of your own...

Wonderful Weekend

It has been a gloomy couple days here - in fact, yesterday it rained the entire day. I decided I would take advantage of my Saturday and do some sewing, baking, and cooking. I started my afternoon by making seven more of my pincushion tuffets - these were all made with recipients in mind...and they use two of my favorite retired fabric lines (Beach House by Blackbird Designs for Moda and Madeira by Blackbird Designs for Moda) and are backed with wool. We all know how much I enjoy making these little tuffets and I have the assembly line quilting done to a science...I even moved my ironing board right next to my sewing table so I could be as efficient as possible. These also gave me chance to show-off some of the pins I made recently! After my time in the sewing studio, I made my way to the kitchen, where I baked some homemade bread and made a nice, comforting potato soup. The evening was then spent in my stitching nest finishing up my new design "Friendship Blooms" - actually, I did the last couple stitches this afternoon - so I will blog about it and give you a peek tomorrow! I am doing some charting for another new piece tonight...and I am going to cut pieces for a miniature quilt I plan to start sewing tomorrow...it has been a quiet, productive, and relaxing weekend...

Happy Fall Ya'll

This post is for two very special friends: Elizabeth S. - her phrase was used for the title of this post (and make sure you say it with a southern accent)...and Teresa who just recently commented to me that every time I sew a project I make a bunch of them (yep, this time I made thirteen). I love you both dearly.

I had to share my most recent batch of pincushion tuffets - can you tell I had a bunch of autumn fabric scraps leftover from a large project?! These lovelies are already spoken for and shipped to new homes - one set of six and one set of seven. I just love making these...and this time I cut the strips for all thirteen and then chain pieced them, so it went rather quickly - it took me a couple hours to make all of them...then I stuffed and whip stitched them closed in an evening while watching television. I have a list of eleven more I would like to make in the next week or so...we'll see if I can make time...I already have some great fabric scraps picked out!

Four More Tuffets...

Today I continued to lower my fabric scrap stash and made four more tuffets....I wanted to make a few more for gifts, since I have given away all the others I have made. This time I added appliqué shapes to a couple random strip rectangles, which I thought turned out well. Again, these were adapted from the pattern "Tuffets" from the Schnibbles collection by Miss Rosie's Quilt Company. I was able to use my AccuQuilt GO! fabric cutter with the the 1" strip cutter die...along with the GO! Heart die and the GO! Star die to cut my scraps. I used wool fabric to back all of these pin pillows and added coordinating pins from my collection. Working on these was a nice break from a few personal and professional challenges I have been facing...a couple hours of sewing in the afternoon is always a "spirit lifter"...plus it allowed me to check another item off my ever-growing to-do list. Now I just have to make time to finish a Mother's Day gift for my mother-in-law...and it uses my new Cricut Expression cutting machine...so hopefully I can get it completed tomorrow morning. For now, I am off to walk Simba, cook dinner, and get to my stitching nest for a needlework marathon...my model for the Elegant Stitch Workshop is calling my name...

A Plethora of Pincushions

Today I continued to lower my fabric scrap stash and made four more tuffets. I made another Random Strip Rectangle...then tried another style (Double Nine-Patch) from the pattern "Tuffets" from the Schnibbles collection by Miss Rosie's Quilt Company...finally, I made a design of my own by rearranging some of the pieces. I was able to once again use my AccuQuilt GO! fabric cutter with the 2" square die and the 1" strip cutter die to cut my scraps. The Double Nine-Patch was quite fun to do, but very tiny...the small patchwork squares you see that make up the nine-patch are a finished size 1/2" x 1/2". Working on these was a nice break from a few work challenges I have been facing...a couple hours of sewing in the afternoon is always a "spirit lifter". I look forward to trying the other four styles included in the pattern...and maybe making up a few more of my own. I already have plans for a few of them...and who knows, maybe I will give a couple away when I reach another follower milestone (hint, hint)...

Scrap Happy!

Like many quilters and seamstresses, I hate to throw fabric scraps away...for some reason I have always saved even the smallest pieces...then I proceed to feel guilty as they fill up a drawer and take up space - it's a catch-22, if I throw them away I feel guilty; if I save them I feel guilty. Last month, my dear friend Kimber gave me a fun polka dot box...and I decided it was time to go through all those scraps, and use this pretty box for the salvageable pieces. So, this afternoon, needing a break from a ton of design layout work, I decided to bite the bullet and go through the scraps...and boy was I surprised at the minuscule pieces I had collected. As I looked through the drawer full of scraps, I reminisced about all the projects I had completed over the last several years, many of which I have given away as gifts...it was a sentimental process. Finally, I narrowed the scraps down to a good box full...and of course I was inspired during the process.

Remembering an adorable pattern my faraway friend Robin sent me, I decided to immediately use some of the scraps and make some pin cushions. The pattern, called "Tuffets" from the Schnibbles collection by Miss Rosie's Quilt Company was perfect to help organize my ideas...and then came the fun part - I grabbed my AccuQuilt GO! fabric cutter and the 1" strip cutter die and started cutting the scraps into usable pieces. I really enjoyed piecing these tiny tuffet tops - it was addicting...and even better - I used some of those pesky fabric scraps! The bottoms of each are beautiful pieces of hand-dyed wool fabric.

I actually cut way more strips than I needed for these four pincushions...and since the pattern has directions for six different tops, I will be trying more in the next few days...it is a great stress reliever while I am building class tutorials and binders. I already have plans for many of these special little tuffets...