Happy Monday! So much for posting on the weekends lately, haha! Michael has been working less on the weekends lately (yay!), so I end up spending less time on my computer. It's definitely a good thing, just keep thinking I'll hop on and post in between activities and time keeps getting away from me! Anyways! I can't wait to tell you all about the baking class I took yesterday at The Little French Bakery, but for now, how about all those projects I was telling you about!
I'm slowly re-decorating our kitchen using Color Me Retro! It has such a retro kitchen feel, it's fitting right in. My appliances even match it! I made these potholders last week to hang on the hooks over my sink. Since I don't plan on using them I just used batting, so I suppose they are really more like little mini quilts! They're pretty big, 9" square.
I had to make some Color Me Retro garland for the launch party of course! I used Sew, Mama, Sew's tried and true scalloped garland tutorial. I've made it a few times and it always turns out so cute! Now I need to find a place to hang it here at home!
I still had some plain tea towels lying around just waiting to be embellished. I've finished them up since this photo by simply top stitching the pieces down. I love how they turned out. You can find a tutorial for all three here. For this hexagon one I used big 2" hexagons instead of 1" ones!
Speaking of tutorials! I re-organized the tutorials page this weekend. All of my tutorials are organized by type of project now. You can find informational series linked on the page as well as a few recipes! I also installed a fancy feature for Pinterest. When you hover over a photo in a post, a "Pin it" button pops up in the upper right corner. When clicked it lets you pin easily to your boards, and even puts the post name in for you! (I used this tutorial to install this feature.)
I was so excited to stitch up my friend Anna's newest pattern, the Divided Basket! After seeing Amy's fabulous Color Me Retro Basket, I had to hurry up and make mine! I used the light blue colorway, and I love the result. Everything comes together so nice and neat, I can see myself making a lot of these. I whipped it up in an afternoon, including taping together the pattern and cutting out all the pieces!
You can buy the pattern on Anna's website here.
I have had this quilt top sewn up for a while, and the other night I needed to release some stress so I finished it up. Something about being able to zone out and turn on loud music to free-motion quilt is so relaxing (as long as everything goes well, haha!). I don't think I've been managing my stress that well lately. I need to do more "just because" sewing, and start practicing yoga again. Those things always help calm me down!
Anyways! The quilt! I used my Color Hex Quilt Pattern, but filled the center with more hexagons instead of solids. I'm really close to being done updating all of my patterns (and getting them ready for print!). The new PDF and paper version of this pattern includes this variation.
I can't seem to get away from my doodle loop quilting. It just feels natural, and I love the whimsy that it adds to my quilts. This quilt features the beautiful Floressence collection by Art Gallery Studio. I paired it with Sandstone Pure Element and quilted it with Aurifil thread. The quilting just sinks in. I happened to have the perfect blue butterfly vintage sheet in my stash for the backing. Love when that happens!
An outtake from last week. Oh how I love George!
Today I love the..
Smell of: Dinner
Sound of: Big Bang Theory
Taste of: Cream cheese cake roll
Sight of: George
Feel of: Wool socks
Good Things about Today:
- Amy Smart's awesome Color Me Retro Mini Quilt Tutorial!
- Did a little shopping!
- Got a lot done!
- Baked treats from yesterday!
The fabric is fantastic and that picture of George is too cute! Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteYou are one creative girl! Time to show pics of your kitchen with all the creative sewing in it. I'm thinking it has to be really pretty and cheerful. And I'd love to know how to make the mouse hover and pin. How about a tutorial on that, please and pretty please!
ReplyDeleteI should have linked to it! Here is the tutorial I used for the hover and pin! - http://www.bloggersentral.com/2012/11/pinterest-pin-it-button-on-image-hover.html
DeleteI just love your pot holders. I'm sure they look perfect in your kitchen.
ReplyDeleteJeni I also love the machine binding on those pot holders and would love to know how you do your machine bindings. I still struggle to do good ones. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI have a tutorial for how I machine bind all my projects here! - http://www.incolororder.com/2011/07/warm-cool-quilt-along-binding.html
DeleteGreat job. I love making things for my home.
ReplyDeleteLove your basket too Jeni!
ReplyDeleteQuilting and Big Bang Theory in harmony:) lol
ReplyDeleteLove your potholders and tea towels!
Love all your projects Jeni! Went to look at your newly organized tutorials and they look great ~ so nice that you share so generously.
ReplyDeleteI'm in love with George!
Your projects are fantastic! And keep taking breaks on the weekends - it is so good for you :)
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ReplyDeletegeorge is so adorable. Glad your hubby has more time on the weekends. I love your projects, especially your potholders. They look so clean and fresh.
I love all of these projects, every single one of them! Your fabrics are scrummy.
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