Last Minute Handmade

I finished up some handmade Christmas gifts just in time to mail them away.  I always have requests for homemade cards.  I used fusible web to adhere tiny scraps to a piece of colored card stock to make these bunting birthday cards.  I sewed a line across the tops of the triangles and used adhesive squares to affix the card stock to the folded card. 

I used my trusty micron pen and borrowed my son's water colors to make some simple thank you cards.

I realized after making this card that I had created a water color version of Carla's quilt!  I love it so much, but it took a lo-ong time to make - too long for a set of note cards. I think I know a way to recreate it in a more automated fashion - a job for the new year.

But for now, I love giving handmade for Christmas with one last frame purse for my best friend.  The outer fabric is my favorite Liberty Bloomsbury print, and I lined it with an Anna Maria Horner voile.  Isn't that a gorgeous color!  I stuffed it with a few goodies for her too.

Grateful

 

The school year is over tomorrow, and there is so much to be grateful for, including the start of summer.  I made these little note cards to accompany my teachers' gifts (don't worry - the male teachers will get gift cards as I don't think they'd appreciate ruffles).  Simple.  Some cards, fabric swatches and a stamp.  I hope each one feels my appreciation for all the time and care they put into every child, particularly mine.

A Solid Finish

I finally finished my solid hexagon project. Yes, it is just pillow sized (20" square), and it still seemed to take quite a while. Hats off to those of you who are persevering through much larger hexie projects.I'm glad I decided to hand quilt it. I love how the embroidery floss highlights each hexagon. I finished the pillow with a quilt style binding in Kona coal.

The inspiration for this pillow was a lovely letter press card I saw on etsy by krankpress. It's funny how a quilt inspired card can become a card inspired quilt.

Quite a Stack

I feel like I have been cutting the fabrics for my Metro Link quilt for weeks now. Oh, right, I have been. It's cutting all those individual pieces of scraps that takes so long. Once you get to the background fabric you can zip along as usual. I'm trying a new fabric for the solid. It is Quilter's Linen by Robert Kaufman. It is regular quilting fabric, printed with a subtle grain to resemble linen. I'll let you know what I think of it as I progress, but so far the Straw color I chose is a good look alike.What you see here are the 617 individual pieces required for the quilt. Just think of the scraps I'm using up! I even used some leftover strips to make more pieced note cards which are now in my shop. Phew. So why are my scrap bins still so full?

Modern Patchwork Note Cards

I made a slew of these for gifts at Christmas, and they were really well received. In fact, someone requested I make some for my shop. So, I pulled out my scrap bins and had lots of fun playing with color and fabric combinations.

I may or may not have made a ridiculous number of these modern patchwork note cards. I've listed them by color in sets of six. Even more to finish and list soon.

I linked to a tutorial before by PioneerValleyGirl, although this time I developed my own technique for making them. Foundation piecing each rectangle on muslin allowed me the control I wanted.