Greetings friends! It is May 1st, and as promised I am back with some big news. Cue the confetti - I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve been selected as part of the 2025 Benzie Design Maker Team! You might have heard a loud squeal coming from Kansas City when I received the message that I made the team. Over the next year, I’ll be creating some new exclusive project tutorials for Benzie Design. I can’t wait to share the fun ideas I have in store - it’s going to be a colorful 12 months filled with exciting projects and inspiration.
If you are not familiar with Benzie Design, then here is your sign that you NEED to be! Benzie Design is one of my very favorite online shops (they also have a brick and mortar shop in Plainfield, IL), carrying the very best in felt stitchery and wool...along with some of the best needlework treasures on the market! Chances are, if you are a maker, you have or WILL fall in love with this shop. Stocked full of supplies, felt, pom poms, and felt shapes in every shade, hue, tint, tone, and palette imaginable, Benzie Design is an online rainbow of happiness and inspiration. In all seriousness, I could add one of every single thing they sell to my cart...every - single - thing! They wrap each order so beautifully...it's like opening a special gift every time a Benzie Design package arrives. After being a loyal customer for many years (they are celebrating 15 years in business), I can't tell you how excited I am to be a part of their Maker Team for the next 12 months!
Stay tuned for sneak peeks of my upcoming projects, including my first tutorial that will be posted on their website on June 3rd (think summertime picnic!). If you can't wait that long, be sure to check out the plethora of tutorials on their website - there are pages of colorful projects. https://www.benziedesign.com/blogs/tutorials
I’d love for you to follow along and share your own creative ideas and experiences with Benzie Design. Let’s make this year a colorful and inspiring journey together!
Winter seemed to fly by, and I am so happy it looks like spring is here to stay for a while. The last couple of months have been a whirlwind. We're still on a "night schedule" in our household, which continues to make life interesting. Even after all this time, I find myself adjusting to this upside-down schedule, but there are far fewer interruptions when I work from 7:00 PM to 5:00 AM.
I've been catching up on needlework finishing and custom orders that are long overdue. I'm down to one last order, which is amazing, as I have a pile of original designs I want to focus on. I've been keeping busy with fun projects for Therm O Web and Poppie Cotton. Plus, I've been planning something really exciting that will be announced tomorrow! I'm itching to get some pattern writing done. Design work brings me the most joy and is my favorite part of my job, so I'm looking forward to finalizing some original designs very soon.
This weekend, we're heading up to Iowa to see dear friends (who are family to me) and attend the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival. I have a long list to complete beforehand. Then, at the end of May, we'll be taking a road trip to Bentonville, AR, for several days to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary (which was at the beginning of April). I'm trying to stay as focused and productive as possible to meet all my deadlines and still have time to travel and play.
Today's photos showcase some of the needlework finishing I've completed for customers (not my stitching, just my finishing) and custom project bags and sewing I've sewn with customer-supplied fabrics. Enjoy the eye candy.
My own design - Needle and Scissor Keep
INSIDE: My own design - Needle and Scissor Keep
Tote Bag Pattern: My own design - Focal and Four Tote Bag
Tomato Season Mat by Notforgotten Farm (Punch Needle)
BACK: Tomato Season Mat by Notforgotten Farm (Punch Needle) Backing fabric: vintage - Nell’s Flower Shop by Blackbird Designs
Garden Morning Drum Pinkeep by Blackbird Designs from the Sewing Club Booklet finished as a pincushion/bowl filler.
BACK: Garden Morning Drum Pinkeep by Blackbird Designs from the Sewing Club Booklet finished as a pincushion/bowl filler.
Greetings friends! The BRD studio has been singing with new ideas and projects...and my desk is overloaded in correspondence, designs, creative ideas, contracts, piles of paper, product swatches/photos, and a giant planning calendar...which truly is incredible, but it also means I have overdone it and have a terrible upper respiratory infection. I'm sure that this is my bodies way of telling me to slow down a bit; between the night schedule and my heavy workload, I have been burning the candle at both ends. Currently, I am trying to nurse myself back to health and get back on track for a very busy year.
For now, it is new project tutorial day - time to share my April project created for the Therm O Web blog with you. I always enjoy putting on my Fabric Education Designer hat and creating new projects/tutorials using incredible products from Therm O Web. For the month of April, the blog is focused on embellished apparel, bags and pouches, HeatnBond Sparkle Paste, machine embroidery, and foundation piecing. I created a brand new project that was posted on Monday - it is a complete project tutorial for my Floss Folio. My comprehensive tutorial contains a complete supply list, printable pattern with quilt block foundation, and step-by-step directions with color photos.
As an avid needleworker with a busy schedule, I am always searching for easy ways to keep my projects organized and ready to take on the go. With my Floss Folio, you can easily take sixteen floss bobbins on the go in your favorite project bag. It is a perfect afternoon sewing project and works great with scraps and/or your favorite fabric collection. Therm O Web interfacings make it soft and sturdy and their StitchnSew EZ Print Foundation Piecing Stabilizer is the best when it comes to foundation piecing the quilt blocks.
Tomorrow, you will be able to visit my YouTube Channel to follow along as I create my Floss Folio (longer version)...or visit my Instagram for a shorter Reel video...it should be posted on Wednesday (that is the plan anyway, we'll see how I feel).
You will have to visit the Therm O Web blog for my complete tutorial and pattern, but I am posting a few photos here...
You will be surprised how quickly this pretty and practical project comes together. It is perfect for using up those scraps and small pieces of fabric - I opted to use fat quarters from Stolen Moments by Lori Woods for Poppie Cotton. For this post, I used the following Therm O Web products:
Visit the tutorial post for a complete and detailed supply list.
To find the exact tools and supplies listed, visit my Floss Folio List on Amazon (full disclosure: as an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases - I only share products I actually use - and I truly appreciate you shopping from my links, thank you!).
Let's talk about the StitchnSew EZ Print Foundation Piecing Stabilizer. We all know, I love the foundation piecing method (I have taught several classes on this technique and I have several patterns that use this technique). StitchnSew EZ Print Foundation Piecing Stabilizer sheets provide great stabilization/support and are easily removed by tearing away, up to the stitches, without distorting stitches/embroidery. These sheets are super soft and tear easily....and they are made to fit your inkjet printer, so you can print directly on the stabilizer! I can't tell you how much I love these sheets compared to regular foundation piecing paper - they are a stapple in my sewing studio.
I hope this project gets you excited to create a Floss Folio to keep in your project bag or with your sewing machine...or, if you have a fun idea for use, please drop me a comment - I would love to hear what you would store in your folio.
I am creating monthly projects for the Therm O Web Blog and I will be sure to post here when I have a new tutorial available. My next project is scheduled to be on the Therm O Web blog on May 19th. Plus, I have a couple a special projects in the works for upcoming Poppie Cotton fabric tours...and a very exciting announcement to share on May 1st.
Thank you for stopping by for a visit today - I always enjoy sharing my projects with you. Have a great week and make time to work on something creative...
Greeting friends - happy Monday! Welcome to the Poppie Cotton Stolen Moments Fabric Tour. I am thrilled to be today's stop on the tour - thank you so much for stopping by for a visit. You are here on a great day, because this month, my fabric tour post coincides with my Therm O Web blog tutorial post! I have a three special projects to share, created with the new Stolen Moments Fabric Collection designed by Lori Woods for Poppie Cotton. I was super excited to put on my quilt designer hat and work with these soft, elegant prints. This brand new collection (shipping to quilt shops now) has lovely rose, lace, swan and bird motifs, gorgeous florals, wallpaper-look blender fabrics, and a fancy swan panel...all done in a soft color palette of pinks, blues, and creams. Let's take a close-up look at my projects...
For my first project, I created a "Floss Folio" and you can find a complete pattern and tutorial on the Therm O Web Blog to create you own! I used my favorite fabric in the collection (Vintage Vines Bleu) and a simple Log Cabin Quilt Block to create the cover. The inside has sixteen pockets, perfect for embroidery floss bobbins or sewing machine needle packs. Visit my blog again tomorrow, when I will share more details.
Next, I created a "Patchwork Project Bag" that shows off all the lovely prints in this collection. It measures 15" W x 12" H and is perfect for a full size pattern and materials. I embellished it with a wool felt flower using Benzie Design Wool Blend Felt and a floral button. The flower layers were stitched in place loosely by machine, making it 3D. I finished it off with a pink zipper and matching coordinating zipper pull.
Finally, I created a large tote bag to hold my "Patchwork Project Bag" and "Floss Folio." I used my "Focal and Four Tote Bag" pattern. I featured two prints for the focal fabrics: the Alexis prints and the Lace & Roses prints. This time, I added an elastic closure with a vintage button to keep the tote contents neatly inside. There are two large patchwork pockets inside this tote bag and to pointed pockets on the outside (that hold an iPhone Pro Max easily). I used the Tossed Roses Rose print for the pointed pockets. For the handles and linings, I used Country Confetti fabrics. Focal and Four Tote Bag Digital Pattern Focal and Four Tote Bag Paper Pattern
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 Stolen Moments fabric collection, visit the Poppie Cotton Blog and/or their social media. If you love this fabric collection, be sure to check out your favorite quilt shop and request it - Stolen Moments is shipping now.
I already have my project in progress for the next Poppie Cotton Fabric Tour in May - my day is May 12th. That tour will be showcasing the lovely, upcoming "Elise" fabric collection by Terri Henson (click to see a preview). I also have a very exciting announcement coming on May 1st (wait until you hear!). Plus, I will have a new project tutorial posted on the Therm O Web Blog on Monday, May 19th…so, be sure to stop back soon for more creative inspiration...
One final note - I am suffering from a terrible upper respiratory infection as I write this post...please excuse any typos and/or mistakes...my brain is in a medication fog. Hopefully it subsides soon and I can get back on track...
Greeting friends - happy Friday! Welcome to the Poppie Cotton Wildwood Dwellings Fabric Tour. I am thrilled to be today's stop on the tour - thank you so much for stopping by for a visit. I have a couple special projects to share, created with the new Wildwood Dwellings Fabric Collection designed by Sheri McCulley for Poppie Cotton. I was super excited to put on my quilt designer hat and work with these soft, nature-filled prints. This brand new collection (shipping to quilt shops this month) has lovely deer, quail, fox and squirrel motifs, gorgeous florals, vintage-look blender fabrics, and fancy flower pots...all done in a soft color palette of pinks, blues, teals, and yellows...and you all know I LOVE a good nature-inspired collection! Let's take a close-up look at my projects...
If you stopped by yesterday, then you have already seen my Dresden Plate Table Runner. This runner measures 42.5" x 14.5" and is embellished with 3/4" rick rack around the center circles and perimeter. I didn't use a pattern, I just made it up as I went along...
Inspired by my Dresden Plate Table Runner, I decided to create a large Dresden Plate project bag. This is one of my signature projects bags and it measures 14" x 14". I fussy cut the center circle and trimmed it with yellow rick rack. Background fabric is Country Confetti. I used a yellow zipper and zipper pull for a pretty accent.
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 Wildwood Dwellings fabric collection, visit the Poppie Cotton Blog or their social media. If you love this fabric collection, be sure to check out your favorite quilt shop and request it - Wildwood Dwellings is shipping now.
I already have my projects in progress for the next Poppie Cotton Fabric Tour in April - my day is April 21st. That tour will be showcasing the elegant, upcoming "Stolen Moments" fabric collection by Lori Woods (click to see a preview). Plus, I will have a new project tutorial posted on the Therm O Web Blog on Monday, April 21st (it's going to be a busy day!)…so, be sure to stop back soon for more creative inspiration...
