Strawberry Pincushions (tips on how to make them and pattern resource)

Around the time I was making those cute fabric covered buttons I also made some strawberry pincushions.

I'd had a pattern saved for ages and never got around to making any. Then when Heather and I had a swap she sent along this cute little strawberry. I loved it and thought it would be great to make some too, to send along with swaps and bee packages.

I made some smaller ones sewing a basic cone shape using half of a circle. After the first one I just drew a top to sew on them. I wanted a more leafy looking top instead of the scalloped top the pattern I used had.

I mad some bigger strawberries by cutting an 8 inch circle into thirds (like 3 big slices of pie). Instead of sewing them like cones I sewed a curved bottom edge making them look a little more like strawberries. 

I used felt for the tops and stitched them down with embroidery floss.

I threaded my needle with baker's twine and knotted the end, ran my needle under the top coming up in the center. Went back down into the center next to where the needle had come up, pulled it through and out from under the leaves, made a knot.

You can also use some buttons and small felt flowers to pretty them up.

So basically all you do is cut a circle, cut that into half or thirds. Bring your sides together (right sides facing), sew up the side, turn it right side out, stuff it, gather the top using a basting stitch, attach a top to it, embellish as you like. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Here are some free pattern resources for you...

Martha Stewart Strawberry Pincushion

Pam Kitty Morning Strawberry Delight

Vintage Strawberry Pincushion

Anyone interested in a Strawberry Pincushion Swap???

Chevron Quilt Finished

I finished the chevron quilt yesterday. For a small quilt, it took what seemed like forever to finish. Gone are the days of marathon sewing for me....for now. I'm really happy with this one. Following the lines of the chevrons seemed like the natural quilting choice here. It just kinda flowed.

Here's as shot of  that 30's feedsack repro, I mentioned in the previous post, I used for the binding. I think it looks like it was just meant to go with this quilt.
I backed it with the Girl Friday (Cosmo Cricket) wreaths that I used for a few of the blocks on the front.  I listed it in my shop. I have a few more things to list as I get the time. Oh, sweet time, ha!

Here's a little peak at what keeps me busy these days. The baby can sit up all by herself now. She's growing so fast and I don't want to miss a second of it.

xo Erin

Pink & Aqua, Sea Foam, Chevron, Ric-Rac Style Quilt Top

I found a few half-square triangles while organizing my fabric a few weeks ago. I started playing around with them making a chevron, ric-rac-y layout. I really liked how it looked so I made more HST's to make this quilt top. I love, love, love the colors.

 

My daughter and I played with different layouts finally deciding on this one. I found a really cute 30's feedsack print that I want to use for the binding.

There's not much time for sewing lately and that's okay. I've been busy with our lesson plans for the new school year and getting everything organized. Having fun buying school supplies. There's nothing like a new pack of crayons to spark creativity.

Happy Wednesday!!! 

xo Erin

A Pillow for Baby

I have just a short and sweet show and tell today as I really can't come up with the words for much of a post. All the kids (except baby) have various stages of a sore throat / sinus bug and even with 2 cups of strong coffee I'm still dragging. I made a pillow for the baby. For the Dresden Plate I used some beautiful Atsuko Matsuyama prints that I got in a little swap with my sweet friend, Heather. The center piece is from another sweet friend and bee mate, Leila. I'd been waiting to use that Merry Bon Bon print for just the right thing and this little project was it. I added some crochet lace trim to the top of the pillow.

For the back I used this really cute aqua ticking type fabric. I have no idea who makes it... wish I did because I love it. I only had a fat quarter and it had no print on the selvedge. I was so excited to use some of the buttons I had made too.

I haven't made a pillow in years except for tiny doll pillows. I am so pleased with this one. I just want to make a bigger pillow form for it. Makes me smile looking at it.

Playing with Dresdens

I started making a Dresden Plate pillow over the weekend. I used most of my feedsack and 30's reproduction prints and a piece of white linen.

I love the way everything looks together but I am not enjoying the method I chose for finishing the Dresden. I used fusible interfacing and sewed it right sides together with the finished Dresden Petals along the curves, clipped the curves and turned it right sides out. Then appliqued it by hand to the linen. Same method for the center circle. My problem is the the center is quite puffy. So I am going to undo it and use a piece of freezer paper ironed on and use the needle turn applique method to attach the center to the petals. I was wondering if any of you that have made a Dresden Plate quilt, pillow, etc. would mind telling me... What is your preferred method of attaching the center circle to the Dresden and then the Dresden Plate to the background fabric?

Season By Hand at Clover & Violet

Hey there! I am guest posting today over on Jennie and Clara's blog Clover & Violet for their Season by Hand series. I'm talking a little about hand piecing quilt blocks.

If you are visiting from Clover & Violet, Hi!!!
Here are the links to the hand piecing and quilting tutorials I've done. The same page can always be found under the Hand Piecing~Hand Quilting tab on my homepage.

Block #1 ~ Churn Dash



Block #2 ~ Jacob's Ladder



Block #3 ~ Ohio Star



Block #4 ~ Bear Paw



Block #5 ~ Granny Square



Block #6 ~ Shoo-Fly



Block #7 ~ Card Trick



Block #8 ~ Friendship Star 



Block #9 ~ Square in a Square



Block #10 ~ Log Cabin



Block #11 ~ Flying Geese Pinwheel



Block #12 ~ Honey Bee



Sashing & Borders


Quilting


Binding

The flickr group is here. Come on over and see all the other pretty hand pieced blocks and quilts.


Enjoy! Have a great weekend!
xo Erin

Paper Pieced Lego Star Wars ~ Luke Skywalker

I wanted to pop in and share with you this really awesome paper pieced quilt block. It's a Lego Luke Skywalker. He still needs his face embroidered on. I tested this pattern for Kristy @ Quiet Play. She's designing over 30 Lego Star Wars character patterns. She's listing them for free in her Craftsy shop. I will be making all of them as requested by my son. He sort of gets the short end of the stick when it comes to my sewing projects because I tend to sew more girly things I guess. So these blocks are a perfect way for me to make something for him. He has loved looking through all of the blocks Kristy has created so far. I'm getting some "cool mom points" too, so that makes me happy. I'll be remaking Luke once I get a better fleshy color. I might even sit down to sew him. Does anyone else stand and sew? I've been doing that a lot lately. Next, I'll be making light sabers.

For all of you in the states, I hope you have a happy 4th of July! Be safe! May the force be with you. I can't believe I just typed that. But I'm leaving it.

xo Erin