Tutorials - an oldie, a newbie and rearranging...

 After my post last week with the free Jam Jar pot holder pattern I received a number of requests to show how I made the little hanging loop, so yesterday as I was beginning work on a UFO finish for November it occurred to me that I could photograph the steps to make those loops for you, because they'd be appearing again in my UFO anyhow.

Back in 2016 I released twelve 'gentle domesticity' applique and stitchery designs, but up until now I have only used three of the blocks in actual projects, so browsing through them yesterday I got to thinking about various ways they could be displayed in our home. I also decided that these blocks would become part of my monthly UFO challenge for the rest of this year and into 2022. Will you be joining me? Originally I wrote that this would kick off in November, but after a heavy morning of cleaning and rearranging the living/dining room I retreated to the sewing room to go through my UFOs and choose one to start on immediately.

I barely have any of the fabrics used in the applique left, so I'll be mixing and matching what remains from that year with what's on my shelf now. 

Beginning with the "Take Time to Breathe" block, my idea was to finish it as a mini quilt for the sewing room or a pillow for the bedroom. A few borders later and it was ready for hand quilting...

This was also the perfect time to make some hanging loops like the one I made for 'Jam Jar'. 

Hanging loops like this can also be used to secure button closures so whether my UFO is completed as a cushion or mini quilt, I will use the loops.

You can make these loops any width you like, simply double the width + 1/4" when cutting the fabric. Choose how long you'd like the loop to be and add 1" in length - you can trim it to the right length after the loop is made.

My loops yesterday finished at 3/4" wide, so I began with 1 3/4" wide fabric strips. 

Fold the length/s of fabric in half across their width, right sides together, and sew an 1/8" seam along the bare edge. Gently press the seam open before turning right side out and pressing flat so that the seam lies along the middle.

With the right side of the hanging loop facing you, fold the top to create a point...

...and press the point flat.

You need to secure the little point section with some hand stitching, or you can machine a line across the edge of the back fold instead.

I hand stitched mine, though looking at the photo now I think I'll unpick the front and do it again with ladder stitch instead. A girl can get sloppy when she's tired! 

This is how the hanging loops will be positioned if I choose to finish "Take Time to Breathe" as a mini quilt...

...but if I decide on a pillow they will be used to secure two large buttons at the back opening.

If you'd like to stitch this design it's HERE in my shop and includes detailed applique and embroidery instructions, as all my patterns do. 

THIS WEEK'S "OLD" TUTORIAL...

I also wrote last week that I'd be (slowly) going through my old tutorials to update the pattern sheets and then re-sharing one every Wednesday till the end of the year. I'm choosing those which might be excellent projects for gift giving, and in my mind these Farmhouse Produce Bags stand out as a favourite.

Made from tea towels and scraps of lace, a few buttons and cotton twill for ties, they are not just pretty but very functional. 

The tutorial is HERE along with the pattern sheet to download the words for tracing. 

Yesterday, as I mentioned earlier, began with a big morning of rearranging the living/dining area. Due to our east facing home being hit with the scorching morning sun I always change the layout of furniture to suit the season. 

From late autumn to early spring I have the dining table at the window so we can enjoy a warm sunshine-y breakfast together, but from mid spring (now) till the middle of next autumn the table is moved to the opposite side of the room as breakfasting in front of the window is no longer pleasant and the curtains need to be closed for a few hours until the sun has moved over.

You'll notice in these photos just how bright this area is even in the afternoon, but I'm very happy with the layout now and also thrilled to have my computer desk right where the cool air of the air conditioner can find me.

 Once everything was done, and my short tutorial photographed, I sat down with a nice cup of tea and two Marie biscuits to stitch and begin watching the new season of All Creatures Great and Small (on Britbox). I love this show, and must admit not as much stitching got done as I'd planned...but the afternoon rest was lovely, and I really did 'take time to breathe'. 

I shall leave you today with this photo of Cully May. She starts school next year (in Australia our school year runs from late January to mid December) and is already preparing by attending a local kindy each Monday until Christmas. Her teachers cannot commend her highly enough - "what beautiful manners" - "she's so clever" - "her handwriting is beautiful" - "she's so kind to others". That's the fruit of all Blossom's mothering, and I'm so happy our 5yo is already showing this fruit in her life.

Bless you lovely friends, and I pray we shall all live by the good fruit of the Spirit day by day, giving others the opportunity to see how living for Jesus smooths our rough edges, tames our thoughtless tongues, and grows deep abiding kindness and grace in our hearts.

hugs

Vintage linens and a year long challenge...

Over the past couple of decades I have collected and been gifted many pieces of vintage embroideries, doilies, linens, tatting, crochet, cotton spools, cutlery, scissors and even a few uncompleted tablecloths which I felt the need to rescue in the hope that one day my own fingers would finish them.

I'm not sure when my love affair with all the loveliness of vintage kitchen, dining and sewing pieces began but I can say with certainty that it's always been connected to memories growing up in Nana's small home.

The older I became the more I pondered her life and felt more keenly the loss of her presence. No-one hugged like my Nana and I used to think no-one laughed like her until one day I realised my own laugh was a very real echo of hers. Loud and joyful. That brought a deep abiding smile to my heart.

What I consider vintage loveliness now she would have thought quite ordinary and everyday in her time because every day is exactly how she used her embroidered linens, bone handled knives, stork scissors, fine laces and thread. 

Anyhow, I am revisiting my rather overflowing boxes of all things vintage at the moment spurred on by a challenge which I came across through a friend on Instagram. Being that my daily employment is to design and embroider patterns for purchase, I was rather intrigued to take on a challenge which was outside my comfort zone - making pretty paper backed tags.

Fifty two tags to be accurate. One each week through the year.

The host of this #52tagshannemade challenge is Anne Brooke of @hannemadebyanne. She's a UK textile artist and tutor who does lovely things with a variety of textile pieces and after reading through the details of this year long adventure I decided to jump right in and have some creative fun that wasn't associated with anything else I do. 

The week one tag was to be all white and that's what got me digging through all my vintage bits and pieces again, a reminder of how much pleasure they give - especially when I make use of them creatively. 

This is my completed week one white tag. They all slip onto a large ring over time to keep them together but I am yet to find a ring large enough. 

I'll be sure to show my tags each week as I make them. You might like to join in? You'll find the #52tagshannemadebyanne information HERE on Anne's Instagram or HERE on her Facebook page.

Now, back to those vintage linens and laces...

I have occasionally embroidered a design onto the centre of a crochet edged doily but this is done very carefully as the first time I tried this the pigma pen I trace with bled into the fabric as the material was old, fine and had a looser weave than what we use today. Now I take extra care and don't have the same problem but still, its been a while since I last used a vintage linen to stitch on.

I really like the pieces which lend themselves to this opportunity and look for them whenever I'm op-shopping, at garage sales or markets...

Something else which sends my heart aflutter is vintage lace and to be honest this is what I collect more than anything else. Just the feel of that feathery softness across my hands is pure delight.

I mentioned earlier that I also like to rescue unfinished pieces. There's a few in my collection for 'one day' but this tablecloth is my favourite and the only one I have already begun to work on...

Only one corner was completed when I found it and there were no threads in the accompanying plastic bag so I spent a good deal of time looking for the same or very similar threads to work with. I did find a variegated blue very close in colour so I began to copy the one completed corner by filling in the little chain stitch squares and the stem stitch connections in the opposite corner. Later I found the right green and yellow. This will be a long process to complete the cloth but I'm not in a hurry; embroidery should always be done gently, without rushing...that's the advice I give to everyone who asks because it truly makes the world of difference.

Two years ago I shared a tutorial to make a vintage style needle-book which featured a pretty cross-stitched doily. At the time I was just embarking on a new love, crochet, and added that to the inside as well as some lace and English paper piecing. 

Everything added to the vintage style I was aiming for in this project and it became such a special needle-book that I have it always on display in the sewing room.

If you'd like to follow the two-part tutorial I shared back in 2019 for this needle-book the links are below. Just click on part 1 and then part 2...

PART 1

PART 2

After becoming re-acquainted with all my vintage bits and pieces earlier this week, an idea formed. I want to see how I can use and repurpose quite a few of my lovely pieces this year because I'm really not the kind of person who likes to pack things away in order to save them from harm. In fact, and some of you may shudder at this thought, cutting up vintage linens to create something else doesn't bother me. I just like to see all that handwork made use of again. 

So I did a little roaming on Pinterest the other night and found a few ideas to inspire. Aprons, bags, lampshades, coat hanger covers and so much more abound there.

If you go HERE to my Vintage Linens board on Pinterest you'll see many more!

There's also a wide variety HERE on my Shabby Chic Crafting & Decorating Board.

I especially like the way this apron has been trimmed using a section of embroidered linen so it might be the first thing I try next week.

Well I think that's all for today. One new plan for blogging in 2021 is to share an Ideas post each Friday, something to stir your creative cells over the weekend because if you're like me there just seems to be a bit more time on the weekends to 'play' in the sewing room - especially now that my dear husband works on Saturdays and won't be home till 2pm, so our usual habit of visiting garage sales that morning has come to an end. Perhaps I'll pop out every so often if there's an interesting one close by? But then it's just not the same on your own. 

Thank you for your prayers of late. Blossom is almost well again and the children have recovered. She has her best friend (also a mother of three) from homeschooling days flying in to visit for a few days next week and we're all very excited to see Abi again. They chat a lot on the phone but haven't seen each other in 16 years. May the Lord bless their reunion and grow even stronger the love of Jesus they both share. 

God bless you sweet friends,

till next week,

2021 free BOM - Block 1 POSIES...

 

It's a new year, a new day, a fresh start...and "POSIES" - a brand new free block of the month!

On the first of each month throughout 2021 I'll be gifting you one sweet little Posies block to stitch, applique and border in a pretty fabric from your stash.

Posies is a scrappy quilt, purposely designed to use up some of those favoured leftover pieces of fabric we have stored away. 

The completed quilt measures 23.5" wide x 30.25" high

The twelve individual blocks measure 6.5" before piecing into the quilt (6" within the quilt).

I've fussy cut tiny motifs from my Tilda scraps for the applique. This may be something you'd like to try too? When you look through your fabrics you will be surprised at how many little designs are sprinkled here and there - a posy, a bloom, a butterfly, a teapot, a bee...spend time playing eye-spy with your fabrics as you prepare all your fabrics and notions for "Posies". 

Block 1 - teacup posey

Do you like that little bee in the applique? 

This block features backstitch, lazy daisy, chain stitch, satin stitch and colonial knots - plus blanket stitch around the applique cup.

Now, you may be new to embroidery and the thought of so many different stitches has you a tad anxious?

Don't be concerned. 

Need a tutorial for backstitch and lazy daisy stitch? Go HERE where I also share a free practice pattern.

Imagine this block done mostly in backstitch. Imagine you learn to sew lazy daisy leaves and discover them quite easy. That can be a game changer for newbie stitchers.

Don't know how to blanket stitch applique?

GO HERE where I'll take you through the steps and give you another free practice pattern to try first.

Satin stitch a bit daunting?

HERE is a good tutorial.

Colonial knots new to you?

Have a look at THIS tutorial.

Alternatively, try a French Knot which is simpler, by following THIS tutorial.

I love chain stitch for those details I want to stand out.

HERE is a good chain stitch tutorial.

POSIES was free until January 1st 2022.

The complete 2021 POSIES quilt is now available from my ETSY Shop.

I hope you stitch and sew along with me this year! I have so many ideas to share and of course two memberships which will delight your stitching fingers and your homemaker heart.

Let's Stitch Again monthly pattern club - here - which runs for 12 months...

...and The Homemakers Heart digital magazine - here - which is a monthly publication featuring new stitchery patterns, sewing projects, recipes, homemaking articles, encouragement, faith and more.

Did you miss my free Posies pincushion pattern the other day? I always stitch a new pinnie when beginning a fresh quilt project.

You'll find that blog post here and the link to download the pattern is there as well. 

Well my friends, thank you for being here through 2020 and I welcome you to visit often in this new year ahead. My hope and prayer is that we can encourage and inspire each other, sew many lovely things from our stash, learn something new along the way, and walk closer with Jesus than ever before.

Bless you heaps, and happy new year!

hugs

PS: There are NEW patterns in my Etsy Shop  today.