Free Pattern - buttons & bows...

A few months ago Lecien Fabrics sent me a bundle of next year's Flower Sugar and made me one of their fifteen "Flower Sugar World Ambassadors" (HERE)...

...and after carefully considering how to make best use of these pretty prints I'd decided (HERE) to update some of my old designs. Now believe me, choosing which designs to be updated is no simple feat, but a handful were eventually selected and on Saturday one of my most popular non-stitchery patterns of all time came to life in a Flower Sugar dress!

Originally the "Buttons & Bows" Bag was made using French inspired fabric, but this new one is a brighter and prettier version...

 

 

 I was so chuffed when I finished it, which was just as well because it's a Christmas gift for one of my dear friends.

And because it's Christmas all around the world I thought I'd give it to you also.

Well, not the actual bag, but the pattern to make one for yourself.

After all, we've still got a few days left of...

 

...so why not make one for yourself and one for a friend?

You can download the free pattern HERE.

You know, if you're pushed for time and you have some sewing friends that you need a gift for, why not print up the pattern and make up a kit from your stash?

I'm sure they'd be very happy with a project all ready to make in the New Year!

bless you heaps

...and two sweet pillows made!

Yesterday I showed you two quilts I'd completed this week, but today you can see two cushion covers I've finished. Productive, right?!

If only life was this productive more often - but then again, I do rather like quieter weeks where life just ambles along so I think I shan't wish more busyness into my life after all. New found wisdom comes to light. ;-)

The Tulip block you saw HERE is now a rectangular bed cushion...

...and the Dresden block also adorns my bed, but as a cushion of the square variety.

Until I make a matching bed runner with my leftover Flower Sugar fabrics my Wishes quilt will do rather nicely as another smattering of cheery colour!

There's a good deal of time being spent in the kitchen this week too. So far I've baked grain free cakes, a superfood breakfast slice, butter chicken in the slow cooker, roasted pumpkin & garlic for soups and salads, and a tasty treat to serve alongside coconut yoghurt was last night's stewed rhubarb & strawberries...

This afternoon I need to make more protein balls for Mr E, and an orange & cranberry grain free loaf - but I also need to clear my desk so I can sit down and write the patterns for this month's Stitchery Club designs.

I've been dragging my feet on that task because it's the least exciting bit about designing, and also because yesterday I started on three new patterns for July and my fingers just want to play with thread and avoid the keyboard.

But one must do what is needed first, so I shall make a long cool cherry & banana smoothie, roll up my sleeves and get to work.

If you'd like to join the Club and receive six really cute embroidery patterns on June 17th you'll need to do so before June 16th. Go HERE and you'll be able to see what's involved (very easy, truly)...

May the tail end of your week be very blessed and overflow with good things!

Enough said...hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work I go....

hugs

Playing with Flower Sugar...

Last night I decided to make tulips. You see they don't grow in the tropics because it's quite simply too darn hot. 

So what to do?

Grow sew  my own!

I purchased the tulip block pattern online from Thimble Blossoms (here) and the pretty Flower Sugar Spring 2015 fabrics were a gift from the lovely Yoko at Lecien Fabrics. I thought they'd both look rather sweet married together so after a couple of hours cutting and sewing I had three pretty tulips ready to use in a project...

The green fabric along the bottom is one I found in my fat quarter stash, not sure who the designer or the range are but it added the grass element I needed for 'planting' my tulips...

Hand quilting came next, using Perle #12 thread in white...

Just simple running stitch around each tulip...

The inside of the tulips were quilted with more Perle#12 thread in either red, yellow or aqua...

The inside edge of the grass and around the base of the aqua tulip stems were quilted with green...

The next step will be to make the tulips block into a cushion for our bed.

Alongside it will be another pillow I've almost finished. It too was pieced from Flower Sugar, but this block features a Dresden Plate on white linen...

Hand quilting on small projects like this is very relaxing so I tend to do it a lot.

For the Dresden pillow I used a single strand of co-ordinating Cosmo embroidery thread inside each blade, radiating from the blades, and as a swirl inside the centre circle...

As I still have some Flower Sugar squares left I might see if there will be enough to piece a simple bed runner. Just squares sewn together, an easy afternoon project...

...with more hand quilting of course.

It's nice to take time out from embroidery (my work) for a hobby like patchwork.

Next blog post I'll show you two quilts I finally finished over the weekend. One for Blossom and one for me!

What's your hobby?

hugs