Oh What Fun Fabric Tour

Greetings friends, happy Friday! I am thrilled to be today's stop on the Oh What Fun Fabric Tour - thank you so much for stopping by for a visit. I have some very fun projects to share...all created with the new Oh What Fun Fabric Collection designed by Elea Lutz for Poppie Cotton. I enjoyed being creative and playing with these detailed, cheerful, Christmas prints. This brand new collection (shipping to shops this week) has a vintage-look Santa Claus, the sweetest snowmen and reindeer, along with charming plaids, polka dots, florals and snowflakes…all done in a lovely, bright and cheerful color palette. I find this Poppie Cotton Christmas collection quite endearing - I was truly inspired by all the tiny details in these adorable prints. This month, for my projects, I didn't use any patterns - in fact, I just started playing and these were the results. 

The tiny details inspired these wooden hoop ornaments. I used small 4-inch wooden hoops - with 3/4" pink rick rack around the perimeter on the back of the hoop and the back is covered with wool blend felt from Benzie Design. I did machine appliqué for the motifs - then added hand stitching, beads, buttons, pins, and wool felt - just small embellishments that I had on hand. I used gingham ribbon for the bows and made twisted cord for the hangers. Everything is attached by machine or hand - no glue was used. These were quite fun to make - in fact, so much so, that I have three more started to add to my collection  - a little bird, a star, and a candy cane.

As always, I *had to* create a special pincushion with this collection...I decided to go with the theme of one of the prints and cut and appliqué a large snowflake. This time my fat quarters didn't have any selvage ends to create with, so I decided to sew a more detailed machine appliqué. I didn't have a pattern; I just designed and created it as I went along. This is a 6” square pincushion perfect for those winter months or for gift giving. The trim is white vintage lace....and I used star-shaped specialty pins for embellishment. I was thrilled with how well this came out - it is just as magical as I envisioned!

Finally, when Poppie Cotton reached out to me months ago to design with this collection, I told them I would like to make some holiday bunting - at that time I had no idea this collection would have a fabric panel with printed Merry Christmas bunting. When I saw an image of the panel a few weeks ago and the printed bunting, I almost decided not to share my bunting photos...but since mine is quite different, I decided it would be fun to share it as well. My bunting is a mix of banner flags and Christmas trees. My trees are triangles, with wool blend felt trunks and have star-shaped specialty pins at the top. The banner flags are made from the cutest prints...and I made a very narrow red binding to put them all together. It was not the easiest to photograph, as it is so long...but I managed to lay it out in my photography light box and get a decent photo with a white background...I also took several photos of it hanging above our fireplace. It is a very happy bunting and I look forward to displaying it this holiday season!

I hope you have enjoyed this stop on the fabric tour and are feeling inspired - thank you for visiting with me today. For more creative projects using the Oh What Fun fabric collection, visit the Poppie Cotton Blog. If you love this fabric collection, be sure to check out your favorite quilt shop - Oh What Fun is shipping this week.

I am already working on my project ideas for the next Poppie Cotton Fabric Tour in July - it is using the fabric collection "Delightful Department Store" (click on the link to see a preview - it has a lovely vintage vibe!!). Plus, I will have a new Therm O Web project tutorial posted in July, as well…so, be sure to stop back soon...

Starflower Scissor Station

Greetings friends - it is time to share my latest ThermOWeb Blog project tutorial with you! By now you know I am a Fabric Education Designer for ThermOWeb (they are the makers of all those wonderful HeatnBond products - adhesives, interfacings - all sorts of "must have" products for fabric crafts, paper crafts, and sewing). I create projects and tutorials for their very popular blog and give you my tips and tricks for using their products. For the month of May, I created a new project that was posted yesterday - it is a full project tutorial for my "Starflower Scissor Station." This tutorial contains a complete supply list, printable pattern with templates, a layout diagram, and step-by-step directions with color photos. The model uses fabric from the House and Home collection by Michal Marko for Poppie Cotton, but I encourage you to use fabrics and supplies you have on hand, to make this deluxe pincushion your own. I hope you will stop by the ThermOWeb blog and check out my project and tutorial...

This is a small, useful sewing project that is perfect for fat quarters or fat eighths or scraps. I used some rick rack (½” Hand-Dyed Rick Rack in color Barn Door from Lady Dot Creates), wool felt (Benzie Design), and a button I had on hand. For this post, I used SpraynBond Pattern & Stencil Spray, SpraynBond Fabric Stiffener Spray, Heatnbond Fabric Fuse Liquid Adhesive, HeatnBond Fusible Fleece, HeatnBond Light Weight Non-Woven Fusible Interfacing and Pressing Paper Fabric and Craft Sheets.

Are you familiar with the SpraynBond Pattern & Stencil Spray? SpraynBond Pattern & Stencil Spray is a temporary, light-tack adhesive for fabric - it will hold patterns down, keep stencils in place, and can be used on rulers to keep the cutting guide straight. Pattern & Stencil Adhesive is repositionable, re-usable and does not leave residue on fabrics. It is perfect for holding a paper pattern in place on wool or fabric for cutting shapes without using pins or having the pattern shift while cutting. This product is a staple in my sewing studio that gets used often!

If you have questions on any ThermOWeb HeatnBond products or would like to see a specific type of product in one of my projects, drop me a comment or email.

You will have to visit the ThermOWeb blog for my tutorial and pattern, but I am posting a few photos here...

Here is a direct link to the project tutorial: 

https://blog.thermoweb.com/starflower-scissor-station-featuring-spraynbond-products/

I hope this project gets you excited to create something special and unique...

I am creating monthly projects for the ThermOWeb blog and will be sure to post here, when I do...my project for June is scheduled to be posted on June 13th...and it is a FUN one!

Thank you for stopping by for a visit today - I always enjoy sharing with you. Enjoy the rest of your week and make time to work on something creative...

Posy Patch Table Topper

I'm taking a brief moment to blog this afternoon - I simply need a break. Finding a balance this week is a challenge and (truth me told) I am feeling completely overwhelmed and a little down. Normally I would take a walk and clear my head, but it is close to 100 degrees outside and the air feels quite heavy - walking the dogs a little while ago wasn't even enjoyable. So, maybe a little writing therapy will do the trick and give me an attitude adjustment...as long as I don't look down at my desk, which is completely covered with piles of things needing attention...ugh...

Let's brighten up this post with my GO! Posy Patch Table Topper! Yesterday I mentioned some of the new AccuQuilt GO! cutting dies...and today, I'm here to show you four more that were released on May 24th - GO! Square 1 ½", GO! Music Medley, GO! Northwoods Medley and GO! Circles ½", ¾", 1″, 1 ¼". I designed the pattern that is included with the GO! Circles ½", ¾", 1″, 1 ¼" die and created the cheerful sample. This pattern uses all four sizes of small circles included on the new die board and was created with both cotton quilting fabric and wool to give it dimension (yes, you can cut wool with your GO! Fabric Cutter!)....and combines traditional piecing with machine appliqué. 

I thought it would be fun to show you the back of the sample...

Even more exciting, GO! Posy Patch is AccuQuilt's "Free Pattern of the Week"...simply visit:

https://www.accuquilt.com/go-posy-patch-table-topper.html/ to download this summery floral pattern...and while there, you can also take a look at a video showing you how to create it!

Hundreds (yes, I said hundreds) of project bags are calling my name, so I guess this short afternoon break is over...back to the sewing machine....

Wool Wonders

It is another cold/snowy day in Iowa, so I thought I would brighten things up a bit by sharing a couple amazing wool pieces with you. It is no surprise that I have a love for birds and owls...and my good friend Kimber shares my owl obsession - in fact, I think she loves them more than I do (if that is even possible)!...so when I opened a box of birthday goodies from Kimber, I was extremely touched to get a couple pieces of her wool art - including an owl portrait. Kimber's wool portraits are AMAZING...so amazing, that one is featured in the latest issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects magazine (visit Kimber's blog to read all about it!). I think what I love most about this particular piece is that she created it with her very favorite colors and I can't help but think of her and smile each and every time I look at it....and isn't the frame absolutely perfect?! In addition to the owl portrait, she made me the most GORGEOUS wool button with earthy colors...yep, she designed it too - she's crazy talented...I love the added touch of the three little beads! This handmade shank button measures 1.5" in diameter...and I just have to find the perfect use for it...but for now, I'll admire it lovingly on the sunshiny yellow card.  Kimber included several other owl and bird gifts in my box of treasures...including some fun notepads, labels, a glass ornament, some fabrics...even my birthday card was a pop-up card with owls in a tree and the box was wrapped with adorable owl paper.

Yes, I truly have the best friends - and I am so blessed that they share their talents and hearts with me...

Pretty Little Pincushion

It is no surprise that I am always on the lookout for fun and unique pins and pincushions, so when this adorable spool arrived in my mailbox just before the holidays, I did a little squeal! - isn't it fabulous?! - it was the absolute perfect surprise! I am such a fan of Just Another Button Company and their whimsical designs and products...and this gift made me smile immediately! I have tons of their buttons and pins in my stash...and even a few kits - so when this special spool arrived, I decided to go through my stash and pull out a JABCO project to complete this year (hopefully soon, but I am not going to pressure myself with my current workload)...I decided upon the "Sew Charming" pincushion kit - I just adore this bluebird sitting on a tuffet...and there is even a little heart pocket to hold scissors or a thimble. The kit contains all the materials to make the pincushion...including the tape measure trim, the buttons, and the pins...all you need is a needle and thread and the needlework treasure you want to place in the heart pocket...I think I can handle that! I plan to put this at the top of my "snow day" pile and hope to make a little time to work on it soon...

I have also added a new book to my wishlist...yep, Just Another Button Company has a new book titled "Pincushion Appeal" - I am sure this title will *need* to be added to my studio library...because, as we all know, I have an addiction...

...and if you aren't familiar with the Just Another Button Company blog and are looking for some pincushion inspiration, you should definitely check it out...it is full of eye candy that just may give you and idea or two (or three):
http://justanotherbuttoncompany.com/blog/