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Monday 24 June 2013

Zakka Along 2.0 - Week 3: Teabag Pouch

Back again for Week 3 of Ayumi Takahashi's Patchwork, Please! Sew Along. This week two projects but I knew I'd only have time to make one so I decided to try the Teabag Pouch.


At last I found the perfect home for my cross stitch "I Love Tea" button! I made a lot of cross stitch buttons when I was on leave from work looking after Lucy, they were so relaxing to make (I've written about them here). The pattern is from the magazine CrossStitcher I often buy: it's really good and up to date with trends, very modern.


I've just noticed that the ric rac looks like steam coming out of the teacup in this photo! I love tags and I had this really pretty ribbon in my stash so I couldn't resist adding it. What's a cup of tea without a cake or a biscuit anyway?


The fabric is "TEAPOTS" by Robert Kaufman from the "Metro Cafe" collection. I love the colours and they inspired my choice of the solids too. I had to make a mock pocket to be sure I'd cut the teacup fabric the right size and position it correctly on the pocket. I'm glad I did because otherwise I would have wasted a lot of one of my favourite cotton prints trying to work out how to get it right!




Now time for a cup of tea!

Don't miss the Zakka Along 2.0 Flickr group, with new photos added every day, great fun seeing what everybody's doing! I'm linking up to Plum and June's Let's Get Acquainted Link Up at Heart of Charnwood and with the Zakka Along at LRstitched.


Thursday 20 June 2013

Giveaway at Red Pepper Quilts: Stash Fabric gift certificate

It's a good week for giveaways, so get busy and check out all the latest. 

Red Pepper Quilts (if you don't already follow, but I think nearly everybody in quilting blogland does!) is having a giveaway: Stash Fabric is giving away a $50 gift certificate.

Giveaway at Lily's Quilts: Lotta Jansdotter's Glimma from Marmalade Fabrics

Don't miss another fantastic Lotta Jansdotter giveaway, this time at Lily's Quilts, courtesy of Marmalade Fabrics! Her fabric is so beautiful and versatile. I love it.


A 24 FQ bundle of Lotta Jansdotter's Glimma! Who wouldn't want to win it?!


Monday 17 June 2013

Zakka Along 2.0: Breakfast Placemat and Napkin

Week two for Zakka Aong 2.0 and the project was for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Towels. I must admit I cheated in this one. I've had some plain (and dreary!) linen placemats for a while now, thinking I could cheer them up some how. When I saw Ayumi Takahashi's project for lettered towels, I knew I had to try it on my placemats.


And this is the result! 
That is after solving a few problems:
1) First of all the fusible web wouldn't stick to the material. I discovered this after having ironed all the letters on the placemat and, after leaving it on one side for a while, I picked it up and three dropped off! I tried ironing with a new layer of fusible web but it still didn't work very well (swear I followed the instructions). So I decided it was the kind of material that was too rough.
2) I have a lot of scraps of Tanya Whelan's Dolce and I really like the colours, so I decided to use those. When they were just ironed on I thought they looked too pale and wouldn't stand out on the linen. Luckily the orange zigzag stitch seems to have made them stand out enough.
3) I realised I'm not so good at zigzaging around letters! I love the blanket stitch Debbie has used for her towel, next time I'll try that.


4) I was worried about the frying pan and egg, which I made in a smaller scale to fit the napkin, and not cover the whole thing. I thought they would be really hard to iron in the right place and to stitch around. I like the final result, they were actually easier to sew than the letters.


5) the binding: I cheated here too using ready made bias binding tape but I've promised myself I will use Ayumi's tutorial for making my own when I have more time.


6) Lucy, my sixteen month old daughter, stole the bowl with the cornflakes (really fast) and wouldn't give it back, just when I was trying to take the photos! I gave her some bread instead because it was actually dinner time.


Thank you for joining me for (pretend) breakfast!




 P.S. Thank you Daniele for your help with the photos!

 Linking up at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday, Needle and Thread Thursday with Kelly at My Quilt Infatuation and Finish it up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts.



Sunday 16 June 2013

Factotum of Arts: Lotta Jansdotter Giveaway and 2013 Let's Get Acquainted Blog Hop

Michelle at Factotum of Arts is having a giveaway with some great Lotta Jansdotter goodies, don't miss it. You have time until next Friday: 
  • A Lotta Jansdotter Strawberry Journal
  • A Charm Pack of Bella Fabric Line (Lotta Jansdotter)
  • Lotta Jansdotter’s book – Lotta Prints (which covers most of the things we learnt in the surface printing workshop)
IMG_7692

Michelle is joining in on the fun at the 2013 Let's Get Acquainted New Blogger Blog Hop at Plum and June. This week's stop is here:

Don't miss the other stops too:

Friday, June 7th
Nancy @ Owen's Olivia
Amy @ 13 Spools
Casey @ The Studiolo 
Nanette @ Yeah, I Made That

Friday, June 21
Leigh Anne @ Ella's Cottage
Stacey @ The Tilted Quilt
Sarah @ Quilt Candy
Jackie @ NW Patchwork
Erica @ Happy Fabric
Stephanie @ Simple Sewendipity
Lauren @ Seraphym

Friday, June 28
Green @ So Sew Green
Gwendellyn @ The Rainbow Revolts
Jessica @ Stitched In Thyme
Kathy @ Kayak Quilting
Michelle @ Factotum Of Arts
Kris @ Sew Sunshine
Camilla @ Faffling

Friday, July 5
Christa @ Christa Quilts!
Stephanie @ Quarter Incher

Fridau, July 12
Anne @ PlayCrafts
Cath @ Wombat Quilts

Friday, July 19
Alison @ Making Happyness
Ella and Nesta @ Ella & Nesta's Little Room
Nicole @ Modern Handcraft
Aylin @ AyliN-Nilya
Kelsey and Amanda @ Everyday Fray

Friday, July 26
RobinSue @ RobinSue Quilts
Elisa Lea @ Lovelea Designs
Elizabeth @ In The Boon Docks
Emily @ Sew E.T.
Em @ Sewing by Moonlight

Plum and June


Friday 14 June 2013

Quilt Italia magazine feature - Lago Maggiore Quilt

My Lago Maggiore Quilt has been featured in this issue of Quilt Italia's magazine. I was so surprised: I was turning the pages and then suddenly I saw my work! How exciting. Read more about this quilt made for the exhibition Afghanistan Inspiration here.






I had better get busy making new quilts now. I wish somebody would invent a day with flexy hours: the hours for quilting should last much longer!


Thursday 13 June 2013

Plum and June's - 2013 Let's Get Acquainted New Blogger Blog Hop

I am so pleased to present you the program for Plum and June's 2013 Let's Get Acquainted New Blogger Blog Hop. 

Plum and June

There are some very talented quilters here and I would like to invite you to visit them, you'll be really surprised. I have had the possibility to join and it all happened just by chance, so I am really happy.
 I am also honoured to have the possibility of chatting with them via mail and they are so full of ideas and energy I am really impressed.My post will be on Friday the 19th of July.

This week don't miss:

Nancy @ Owen's Olivia:



Amy @ 13 Spools:


Casey @ The Studiolo:


Nanette @ Yeah, I Made That


Kim @ Robot Mom Sews:




And in the following weeks (but you can visit now too, of course!):

Friday, June 14
Julie @ Jolie Maxtin
Melissa @ Melia Mae Quilting
Adrianne @ On The Windy Side
Molli @ Molli Sparkles
Laura @ Little And Lots
Valerie @ Between Quilts

Friday, June 21
Leigh Anne @ Ella's Cottage
Sarah @ Quilt Candy
Jackie @ NW Patchwork
Erica @ Happy Fabric
Stephanie @ Simple Sewendipity
Lauren @ Seraphym

Friday, June 28
Green @ So Sew Green
Gwendellyn @ The Rainbow Revolts
Jessica @ Stitched In Thyme
Kathy @ Kayak Quilting
Michelle @ Factotum Of Arts
Kris @ Sew Sunshine
Camilla @ Faffling

Friday, July 5
Christa @ Christa Quilts!
Stephanie @ Quarter Incher

Friday, July 12 July 12
Anne @ PlayCrafts
Cath @ Wombat Quilts

Friday, July 19
Alison @ Making Happyness
Ella and Nesta @ Ella & Nesta's Little Room
Nicole @ Modern Handcraft
Aylin @ AyliN-Nilya
Kelsey and Amanda @ Everyday Fray

Friday, July 26
RobinSue @ RobinSue Quilts
Elise @ Lovelea Designs
Elizabeth @ In The Boon Docks
Emily @ Sew E.T.

Monday 10 June 2013

Bell Pepper Magnets - Zakka Along 2.0: Patchwork, Please

I couldn't resist transforming what were supposed to be Bell Pepper coasters (read my last post for more info) into Bell Pepper Magnets. My daughter Lucy, 16 months old, loves playing with all the magnets on the fridge. It's a good way for teaching her words and colours (and keeping her busy while I'm cooking!).


 So what do you think? Do you like this mini version? I used a glue gun to fix the magnet inside. The central slice of pepper is top stitched by itself and then I used the glue gun to fix it to the main part of the pepper. I don't usually use glue guns for sewing projects because I consider it "cheating". This time I used it because I can't buy flat magnets here so I had to use a rather thick round magnet that I couldn't sew around. It makes the pepper look quite 3D in the end though!

Saturday 8 June 2013

Zakka Along 2.0: Patchwork, Please!

Monday the Zakka Along 2.0: Patchwork, Please! started. The book is brilliant and I've been one of Ayumi Takahashi's fans for a while now, so I decided to join the Sew along. Her blog Pink Penguin is really cool and very followed even though she doesn't post very often. She invents stunning projects and has lots of clear tutorials.

Sew Along button

The first project is to make Bell Pepper Coasters (Sottobicchieri Pepperoni!). I thought I wasn't going to make these, no way. I don't even use coasters! I thought I would skip this week seeing as I haven't signed a contract or anything, have I?

Instead here I am, working late into the night making Peppers! Why? Thanks to  Penny at Sew Take a Hike: she suggested transforming it into a hotpad. And that's why I am making hotpad peppers! This is the first one: what do you think?

And of course not the only one, because once you start you can't stop!