Hot Pink Peonies

Save the Date - July 1 for Red, White & Blue

2012-05-31T15:20:00.001-04:00

I'm super excited to be participating in the upcoming Sew We Quilt Red, White & Blue Blog Hop. You'll get to hop all over the web and visit lots of quilty blogs and see lots of red, white & blue blocks for the first half of July. The blog hop runs from July 1 to July 16th and there are over 90 participants. That's alot of awesome red, white & blue quilti-ness.

Stop back here on July 1st to see my block. I have two ideas in the works and I have a whole month to pick the one I think you'll like best.

Jane's Fabric & Quilts is helping keep us organized - thanks again Jane!

Here and There

2012-05-19T14:40:00.000-04:00

Here and there I've been working on a bunch of things, and it always feels like no matter what I get done the list is still long. I've created new branding graphics for the blog and for my Etsy shop. I wanted a vintage-looking sewing machine and some pink peonies of course, so this is what I came up with. I use DrawPlus for graphics, both for work and fun, and it seems like I'm getting faster at completing things. Hopefully that means I'm getting better too! (DrawPlus is available at serif.com in both a free trial version and a paid version with lots of bells & whistles.) I couldn't figure out how to get the quilt to look like its draped over the tabletop.

When I get some time to put my feet up, I've been working on a new embroidery pattern I drew. I love Celtic knots and I love the well known Irish Blessing, so out of my colored pencils came this pretty knot. There will be a flower ring around the whole thing too - it will be a great pattern for hoop art or for a pillow cover. "May the road rise to meet you."

Another item on my to-do list is a new doggie mat for Katie. A while ago I did a disappearing nine patch with a small charm pack and it finished out at doll quilt size so its just barely big enough for her to lay on. She's been using that in my bedroom instead of her giant doggie bed. She seems to like having just a little cushion between her and the floor, so I want to make her a new one that is a bit bigger. Another nine patch might be just the thing, so I tried a couple ideas on paper before sewing & chopping. We have the disappearing kind and the not really disappearing kind here. I think she'll end up with the second version below.

Using colored pencils is just so fun. Work is keeping me busy these days, so the sewing has fallen by the wayside this week. Its never far from my thoughts though. Monday is my day off & I'm looking forward to sewing all day long!

Welcome Gnome Embroidery

2012-05-14T14:53:00.000-04:00

It's official! My first embroidery pattern is now available in my Etsy shop. Its a fairly simple design using mostly back stitch, along with french knots, lazy daisies, chain stitch and a pinch of flat stitch. Its a simple sketch so there are lots of options with your stitches, and many places to use the pattern. It would be cute on a pillow, embellished dish towels, frame it or create embroidery hoop art, a quilt block or a tote bag.

Its super cute with red & white polka dots around it, isn't it? Polka dots, gnomes and mushrooms just go together don't they?

I included a page with my color choices and the stitches I used, along with some basic information on transfering patterns to your fabric. There are a couple other embroidery patterns in the works here in my studio (also known as my couch), along with a few ideas in my head and I'm really enjoying the thought of sharing these with you!

Paper Piecing a Birdhouse Block

2012-05-09T14:02:00.001-04:00

Do you have more than one project in the works at a time? There are several crafts that I enjoy so between sewing and embroidery, knitting, sometimes scrapbooking, and other DIY decor things a girl can stay pretty busy. I bounce around from craft to craft, and sometimes project to project in the same craft. After my first encounter with paper piecing the Lone Starburst blocks for my do Good Stitches circle, thoughts of paper piecing have been simmering inside my head while I sew other things. My thoughts finally landed and I created this birdhouse block.

Those photos were both posted on Instagram - you can follow me there as HotPinkPeonies!

Anywho, I wanted to do something fairly simple, but garden themed. Since I love birds, I thought a bird house with a little birdie was in order. A charm pack of Fresh Flowers by Deb Strain for Moda makes for a colorful garden-y pillow, don't you think?

This was tons of fun, and didn't take too long once I decided what fabrics to use for the block. Its a 6.5 inch block unfinished so with a little sashing here and a little blue bird there, it makes a cute pillow cover. I added a strip of leftover squares to the back too for a cheerful pop of color.

There are alot of great tutorials on paper piecing on the internet, and I am by no means an expert yet so I suggest you read this tutorial by Faith of Fresh Lemons, and maybe watch this video by The Crafty Gemini. I'd been directed to that YouTube video a couple times by fellow quilters and I think she does a great job of explaining things and showing the process.

Click here to download the 6.5 inch unfinished Birdhouse Block. When you go to print the block, be sure to change Page Scaling to 'None', or it will print in a reduced size. This is my first time including a pdf link, so please let me know if you have any problems, or any advice on downloads!

I'm linking up!

Aprons by Hot Pink Peonies

2012-05-04T16:34:00.000-04:00

I'm doing a shameless plug here because I'm just so excited to have these done and online! My little half aprons that I wear in my store have had several compliments over the past few months and there were even a few requests that I make and sell them. So I've done just that and listed them in my Etsy shop.

Daisy Dots

The Daisy Dots apron is one I wear all the time at work. The shop's signature color is teal, so its perfect, plus its so perky and fun. I love the next two too.

Dolphins and Ocean Waves

Red and Blue Pillow & Maxfield

There are a few more in the works, like cupcakes and pink flamingos! I find this size apron very useful and I'm really enjoying putting fabrics together to make them fun and eyecatching. If you click over, let me know what you think - I'm open to feedback! Its difficult to know if your descriptions are informative enough, since as the maker you already know why its a great thing.

What's up in your crafty world?

Wonky Cross Blocks

2012-05-02T15:55:00.000-04:00

Just a quick show and tell of my April blocks for the Inspire circle of do. Good Stitches. I finished them on the last day of the month, but they are done and already winging their way off to this month's quilter. It always feels good to check one more thing off the list.

Evelyn asked that we do Wonky Cross blocks in primary colors to coordinate with a super cute backing she already had. The tutorial we used is from That Girl ... That Quilt. The tutorial is very well written, easy to follow and creates a fun, modern wonky block. I was a little nervous making that first wonky cut, but it worked out great! Quilts made from these blocks are super cute, and I think the cheerful primary colors of the quilt Evelyn is putting together will be perfect for a Project Linus quilt.

As usual, I can't wait to see the finished product! Be sure to check out the rest of That Girl ... That Quilt's blog - she does beautiful work.

This was my first wonky block and I have to say I loved it, once I got past that first cut. I'm a 'follow the rules' kind of girl, and it makes you feel a little reckless to just go for it. Is there a wonky star or wonky log cabin in my future? I think so!

Have you done wonky blocks? Do you love 'em or hate 'em?

An Upcoming Blog Hop in Red, White & Blue

2012-04-27T16:54:00.001-04:00

To paraphrase the Reese's slogan ... blog hops and red, white & blue blocks are two great things that go great together, right? They sure will this coming July!

Madame Samm just hosted a super fun blog hop full of table toppers at Sew We Quilt, and I had fun seeing all the creativity and meeting bloggers who were new to me. Madame Samm is one busy gal. She's already planning the next one! This time, Jane of Jane's Fabric's will be hosting the festivities. Its going to be Red, White & Blue blocks and you will be able to hop around the web, viewing blocks on blogs hither and yon starting July 1st, including one here at Hot Pink Peonies!

Woo hoo!

If you'd like to join the fun, visit either Madame Samm at Sew I Quilt or Jane at Jane's Fabrics to learn more and to sign up. Who am I kidding - go visit both blogs - there's lots of quilty eye candy in both places! Let one of them know you'd like to join in, and then get planning!

I have a red, white & blue sampler quilt already in the works with 'tester' blocks I've used for swaps and whatnot and I'm super excited about adding to it!

Lone Starbursts

2012-04-23T17:57:00.000-04:00

Just popping in to show you my finished blocks for do Good Stitches for last month. These are Lone Starburst blocks, using the design by Six White Horses.

We were asked to use navy, aqua, grey, kelly green or citron with white in certain spots. This block is not for the faint of heart, but it is a show stopper! I think I spent over 14 hours on the two. Lots of seams and lots of pressing but she's a beauty. I can't wait to see the finished quilt!

Back to the sewing room to hit my WIP list!

WIP Wednesday

2012-04-11T13:20:00.000-04:00

Its Wednesday again, and that means its time for a Works In Progress roundup, and a visit to Freshly Pieced!

Have you tried paper piecing? I've seen some wonderfully creative blocks on the web that use paper piecing to make a shape within a block, and then there are all the gorgeous variations of New York Beauties. In March, our assignment for the Inspire Circle of do Good Stitches was to use the Lone Starburst pattern from Six White Horses, using a combination of navy, aqua, kelly green and citron, with a white background and center stripe. I'm embarrassed to say this is still a WIP but I should be able to finish tonight.

What I love about being in a group like do Good Stitches is that each month, I get to create something with specific instructions and it almost always gets me out of my comfort zone. We are either using a color combination that is new to me, or a new pattern, or a new technique and that helps to expand my skills as a quilter. Plus of course I'm helping to make something useful and comforting for someone else. I love this block, but man does it take a long time to matchup fabric, sew, flip, trim, matchup fabric, etc. etc. etc. A. Long. Time. Its a gorgeous block though and its going on the list of blocks to be included when I do a star sampler quilt. To learn more about do Good Stitches, please visit our Flickr page.

Another WIP is the sunglasses case for my friend's mom. I am kind of winging it, and I've decided the prototype isn't quite right so I'm trying to figure out a new strategy for making it more of a clutch. I tried putting binding on the flap edges but I had some difficulty so I ripped it off. My friend said her mom would prefer bright & cheery to shabby chic florals, so I've gotten a new fabric combo ready to go. It has to be ready by our lunch date on Monday, so you'll see the finished product soon!

And since I thought you deserved something pretty to look at, here is my blooming orchid. I bought this plant on St. Patrick's Day when I moved to Florida in 2010 and its doing pretty well considering I have not been treating it very well. She needs to be repotted for sure. The blue & white china flower pot was a gift from parents several years ago when I started a new job, so it makes me quite happy to see a plant enjoying it!

What have you been up to?

Happy Weekend!

2012-04-07T17:35:00.001-04:00

Hope you have time to enjoy your friends and family this weekend, whether you're celebrating Easter, Passover or just the glory of Spring!

This plumbago in my yard is popular with the butterflies, but I can never get a good butterfly shot. Aren't the flowers a gorgeous shade of blue?

Expanding My Horizons

2012-04-04T17:35:00.000-04:00

Do you have a favorite fabric designer or manufacturer? I've always considered myself a Moda girl. I love so many of their designers, and the fabric has such a lovely hand to it. It has always been the benchmark of quality in quilting fabrics to me. I'm starting to branch out though, and I've discovered that Michael Miller is slowly taking over my shelves of fabric stash.

This is a dreadful photo but that's what happens when you're trying to do 14 things at once and your camera battery dies. Anywho, I made this little apron a few weeks ago to wear at the shop, to keep track of my ever present box cutter, my cell phone, a pen etc. and have had several compliments on it. Not just compliments, but requests to sell them too. So I've been working on improving my pattern and the overall scheme of putting one together and I'll make some to sell. This apron is made from a Patty Young fabric called Daisy Dots, and I just can't get enough of it.

In light of my new apron plan, I decided my stash needed some enhancing, so I took a wee trip to my LQS this week, Rainbows End Quilt Shop. First I needed some extra choices for my doGood Stitches blocks for, ahem, March. I just don't have alot of navy in my stash and I've used up most of the grey. I was also on the hunt for apron ideas. This cute border print caught my eye. Won't this make a cute apron? The border for the pockets and the red print for the backing? I can't wait to finish one! This is part of Gypsy Bandana by Pillow & Maxfield.

Photo courtesy of Michael Miller on Amazon

Back at home, I dug into the stash to make a new pillow for the garden bench at the shop and found this super easy square panel print, also in Gypsy Bandana. It makes a 20 x 20 pillow and really brightens up the bench. The lime and hot pink are super cute. (The photo doesn't show you too well, so you'll just have to trust me!)

When I was sewing up this pillow cover last night, I was thinking about pink & green and I dug around in the stash and looked at some selvedges. I have a nice selection of Whimsy in pink and green prints, some Flora & Fauna and some Mezzanine all by Patty Young. I think I'm branching out & I have definitely added 2 designers to my favorites - Patty Young and Pillow & Maxfield. Somehow they snuck up on me!

Are you surprising yourself with any fabric choices these days?

What about me?

2012-03-31T11:22:00.000-04:00

Can you believe its the end of March already? It seems to me that the year has hardly started, and here we are a quarter of the way through. Work and family stuff has kept me out of the sewing room lately, but I started a little project last night. My dear friend's mom is doing the snow bird thing not too far from me, and when we went out for dinner she mentioned that she is having a hard time finding a soft sided case for her sunglasses. "I can fix that!" I said.

So into the sewing room I went to choose fabric and get to work. This is what happened when I started sewing. She rested her little chin on my knee, and looked up at me with those big brown eyes.

And I melted. Poor Miss Katie needed some love. So we had a little tummy rubbing time instead. More on the glasses case soon, along with a pretty star block for do Good Stitches.

Friday is for Sharing

2012-03-09T16:26:00.000-05:00

This week has just flown by! Has it felt like that for you too?

Today's Friday fabulousness is a quick one. Have you checked out the Moda Sliced competition? There were some truly awesome contributions and I don't know how the judges could possibly narrow it down to only 4 finalists. Here are the four. I can't pick a favorite, but I'm looking forward to seeing what they create with their Pincushion assignment.

The honorable mentions can be found here. I think the crocheted caddies by akalauni, shown below, are my favorite since they combine my love of fabric with crochet! Her lovely & inspiring blog can be found at Gracious Rain.

Its worth a peek at all the entries on Flickr - there are some really wonderful, original projects there and its full of inspiration for things you might want to create.

Did you submit a project? If so, yay you for being brave & trying!

Have a great weekend!

Some Everyday Sewing Projects

2012-03-08T14:24:00.000-05:00

Sewing little items for everyday use is a fun way of using your favorite fabrics, and getting just what you want! I've finished up a couple small sewing projects lately. Ages ago I saw these cute earbud holders over at Dog Under My Desk (how awesome is that for a blog name? Katie would wholeheartedly woof at that!) She has a fabulous blog and some really cute patterns in her shop too - its worth a click to go visit! Since I was in my usual lazy mood, I didn't bother using the computer and decided to just wing it. I didn't want to fuss with a zipper, so I didn't. It could probably be a little bigger, but it works for now. I love this red floral fabric, and it goes nicely with my little red earbuds.

I listen to audiobooks on my phone or MP3 player while I'm walking Katie or on my way to work, and I really needed a place to keep my earbuds safe. This way they don't get tangled and hopefully will last longer. Even though there is no zipper, they are fairly secure in their little pouch but I would like to try Erin's tutorial one of these days. If I make this for my 11 year old nephew, I'd definitely go with the zipper version since well, he's a boy and not as careful with his stuff.

And speaking of my sweet doggy dog Katie, I realized that some of her collars were getting rather worn. When I first adopted her (yay Petfinder!) I bought a bunch of cute handmade collars on Ebay and she has enough of a wardrobe of them that we switch them out alot. I picked the most worn one, figured out how it worked, and then chopped off the hardware to reuse it. Add in a scrap of Mezzanine with some fusible web and before you could say Bob's your uncle ...

By the time I finished I thought of a couple ways to make it better, so a tutorial may be forthcoming. Isn't her little dog tag cute? Her name & my phone number are stamped into the other side. I got it from a wonderful Etsy seller called Poochy Couture, and she has a ton of darling designs for both cats & dogs. I bought some for my sister's menagerie for Christmas gifts and had a fun time choosing them.

My little darlin' is all preppy and ready for Spring, although she's so furry her collar is rarely visible. You'll just have to trust me its there!

She's probably thinking "Can you stop with the camera and let's get back to our walk?!?!"

What have you been working on?

Scraps, Scraps, Scraps!

2012-03-02T16:18:00.006-05:00

Everyone has a bin or basket of fabric scraps, and mine has finally reached the point where it needed some organization. I've used lots of scraps for the do. Good Stitches blocks, but the last time I went scrap diving it was kind of a pain to filter through. There are so many great ideas for scrap storage, like vintage wire baskets at The Cottage Home (visit to see a studio worth drooling over!) or a handy over the door shoe organizer like the one at Elsie's Girl but my favorite is the large canning jars that I saw at I Like Orange Too. She did a whole tutorial on making the lids match the scraps - click on the link to read more.

courtesy of I Like Orange Too blog

I got these large Ball jars at my local Ace Hardware and spent just a few minutes sorting the scraps. The jars came in a set of 6, and I thought that was probably enough to start with. After a wee bit of sorting, we have a Red & Pink jar, an Orange / Coral / Yellow jar, a Green jar, a Blue & Purple jar, a Whites & Creams jar and a Black, Brown & Grey jar. Easy peasy, organizing squeezy!

I haven't done the lids to color coordinate, because I think the colors may come and go in different jars, depending on what I'm making. But these are a fun way of seeing what I've got to work with and its like using your stash as art. (Ignore that stack of wall art that's wrapped up in vintage sheets behind my table, won't you? This little house just doesn't have enough room for all my stuff.)

Anything that was more of a strip or about an eighth of a yard just got folded and stacked back in the basket. There's scraps, and then there's scraps, you know?

How do you organize your scraps - do you separate out the tiny bits from the 'less than a fat quarter' bits? Got 'em out where you can see them?

Springing into March

2012-03-01T13:16:00.000-05:00

Its a new month and that's always a great time to take a look back and to plan ahead! Lily's Quilts has a Fresh Sewing Day at the beginning of each month and I love that idea, so I'm jumping in this month. February was not as productive as I had hoped, but I got a few things accomplished. Some pillows to go in the Etsy shop...

A cute red heart pillow to add a bit of Valentine's cheer to my house ...

And some blocks for do. Good Stitches got finished up and sent off.

That doesn't seem terribly productive at all, now does it?

This week I will be finishing up a cute gnome embroidery project. I've been doing alot of doodling lately, and that turned into embroidery ideas, and that just might turn into a new line of patterns in my Etsy shop. This fella isn't finished yet, and I'm not sure I like the chain stitch for the mushroom top so that may change before you see this in its final form. Its messier in person than this photo shows.

My Orange Waves quilt, based on the New Wave Quilt by Oh, Fransson is also on my list of WIPs to finish up in March. I've got two and a half columns done. The pieces are all cut, so its just a matter of sitting down and sewing it all up.

And recently I stumbled across these Sunbonnet Sue blocks from a few years ago. When I first got into quilting, I wanted to make a Sue quilt for my baby niece. Her nursery was primarily yellow and green so this quilt would have gone nicely. But time passed, and this quilt didn't get finished. I need to finish up the Sues, choose fabric for sashing and get 'er done. I'm going to try to get this into the Etsy shop soon.

And my final task for this month? I think I'd like to change my online identity. I have an idea for the name I'll use, and a super sweet logo to go with it, but I haven't pulled the trigger. It means transferring the blog to its new name, changing the Etsy shop, and changing my Flickr and Twitter accounts too. If you have any advice on recreating your online identity, please share!

I'm linking up with Lily's Quilts Small Blog Meet. Its a great spot to meet new bloggers so be sure to go and check it out!

Friday Is for Sharing

2012-02-24T08:00:00.040-05:00

Its Friday! Even though I've worked weekends for several years, every Friday morning I feel like I'm about to have a break, and that makes me want to plan fun things for my free time. Whether I've got plans in the evenings with friends, or I want to get out in the garden or maybe get cracking on my next craft project, Friday is a day for daydreaming. I've decided Friday posts on Hot Pink Peonies will be for sharing inspiring things found on the web.

Flickr is such a wonderful place to find inspiration, to join groups with your interests, show off your work (be it blankets, babies or blossoming gardens), participate in hobby related swaps and bees, and to socialize through photography. do. Good Stitches is on Flickr and that's how we stay in touch with one another and create the quilts. For quilting and sewing specifically, you can find groups that do swaps of finished items, blocks or fabric itself. You can also join quilt-a-longs, and see what other sewists do with your favorite fabric lines. There's so much fun to be had!

Some days though, its just pure inspiration. I love seeing different color combinations and learning new techniques. Click on the links below to learn more about each photo - many Flickr users will include a link to their blog. And aren't those quilted cupcakes cute? My niece is all about the cupcakes these days, so I was thinking I might surprise her with a cupcake themed doll quilt.

1. Bliss Stars Top by Why Not Quilt 2. Pillow Talk Swap by This Crafty Fox 3. Garden Steps Quiltalong by Clover & Violet 4. Friday Night Sewin Project by Stitched By Me 5. Sparkle Punch Progress by I Dream in Fabric 6. Quilted Cupcakes by Quilted Cupcake 7. Hexagon Quilt by Quarks & Widgets 8. Best Bee Quilt Ever by Kelby Sews 9. Granny Squares by Sew Deerly Loved

Are you on Flickr too? You can find me there as Hot Pink Peonies Sews.

Lovely Finish

2012-02-21T16:46:00.000-05:00

Lovely by Sandy Gervais of Moda has been out for a while now, but it just makes me smile every time I see it! The coral, turquoise and yellows are so cheerful and perky and they scream spring.

This is your basic Dresden plate that I appliqued onto my favorite white on white leafy fabric. I used pinking shears on the center of the plate, which mimics the petals and makes it look alot like a flower. I used coral perle cotton to hand quilt around the plates too. I love that look!

Its available in my Etsy shop. These fabrics are so cheerful I think I'll make a table topper too!

What have you been working on?

A Lovely Dresden

2012-02-16T23:26:00.001-05:00

Dresden plates are a lot of fun and fairly quick, especially if you're only doing one. I've been anxious to cut into my Lovely by Sandy Gervais stash. So perky! Maybe I will make four and turn them into a little wall hanging.

A New Pillow

2012-02-15T16:29:00.006-05:00

This has been a super fun project for me, and its a good skill booster too. Using a load of half square triangles (HSTs) I made a modern pillow cover. It was good practice for the HSTs and I improved my accuracy on quarter inch seams.

Using advice I read somewhere on the internet, I remembered to press the seams on each strip in the opposite direction so that they fit together more neatly. It has an envelope style closure on the back with the most mod looking of the patterned fabrics.

I quilted it with teal thread that is a little darker than the solid teal and I like how it turned out. I did alot of quilting on the teal target band but less on the remaining solid and patterned bands. Its bound in solid teal and I'm just tickled with it! I might do another in a different colorway and create a tutorial.
Any good ideas for a name for this puppy? I'm thinking "Off Center" or "Off Kilter" but those are fairly boring. It will go in my Etsy shop soon.

Linked up with Ruby Jean, Sew Many Ways' Sew Darn Crafty Party, Creation's by Kara's Look What I Made Linky Party, Beyond the Picket Fence's Under $100 Party, Sew Happy Geek's Manic Monday Linky Party and Serenity Now's Weekend Bloggy Reading. Check out all the awesome projects on the links, and thanks for letting me share, ladies!

Catching up with do Good

2012-02-14T12:02:00.000-05:00

Here are some of my recent blocks for do Good Stitches. In November we did Ticker Tape blocks based on Rachel's Bottled Rainbows Tutorial and Quiltalong. I choose dark red and dark green. (Wow my photography needs some serious work. I think I've dropped the camera so many times its focus is off.)

December's plan was called Shades of Grey - and this was a cool idea. We each used grey as the primary color of the block and then added a pop of another color. Lyanna also asked that we try to use geometric shapes and I can't wait to see all the blocks for this quilt. My blocks use hot pink of course, but the only grey I have in the stash is Kona Coal and this circle print that practically matches.

January was tons of fun! We did string blocks and it was an 'anything goes' project, as long as we used a one inch white strip for the center. These are colorful and fun. I'm adding this to my own to-do list. Here's my first attempt, with the paper still on.

And the final four ...

I made five, but something turned out wrong with the center strip on the first one & I didn't feel like picking it apart to fix it. It was recommended that we shorten the stitch length to make the paper easier to rip off once you're done. That worked out really well, but its harder on the eyes to pick apart any mistakes. I'll save that for some bright morning when I'm well rested. ;)

My scrap bin wasn't too big to begin with, but I'm happy to see the pieces and parts become something fun and useful to someone else. Now I need to get cracking on my own projects so I can have more scraps ready for the next assignment!

Back in the Saddle

2012-02-09T20:46:00.001-05:00

My free time has been seriously limited for a couple months so I have had to resign my creative time to portable knitting and hand sewing, but I've gotten back into the sewing room at last. I'm getting caught up on do Good Stitches blocks as quick as I can. My little buddy has finally decided the new pillow I made for the sewing room is acceptable to her. She doesn't look too happy that I'm taking pictures though, does she?

I've been wanting to play with half square triangles (HSTs) in a format other than pinwheels, and decided to seize the day. It took forever to choose a color concept, but eventually I picked out three Anthropology fabrics and two coordinating solids. I was inspired by Jeni's Vintage Sheet Pillow Cover Tutorial at In Color Order. I loved how her placement starts in one corner, rather than creating a diamond bulls eye in the center. I wanted more stripes though, so I went with smaller piecing. These were 3 inch squares, creating 2.5 inch HSTs.

Like the pretty pink tape on my sewing machine? It helps me keep my seam allowances a little more accurate. Chain piecing makes this type of project roll right along fairly quickly once the cutting is done. Leaving the pieces connected makes the second seam on HSTs go super quick! After some trimming you get to arrange them and the fun really begins.

Chocolate and teal! Its very simple, and might be more interesting with more than 3 fabric choices but I like it so far. I'm just not too confident in mixing fabrics yet.

Sorry for the quality of the cell phone photos - my camera was at work.

What are you working on?

Blooming Heart Pillow

2012-02-08T12:00:00.000-05:00

The heart pillow is finished and now available in my Etsy shop! It was a fun project, although it took more petals than I expected. Even though I am in sunny Florida, it felt like a great spring project - I was making blooms no matter the weather!

I'm not so much of a heart person, but I like this alot. Its red and ruffly and sweet for Valentine's Day. It would be cute with a monogram in the middle, or maybe even initials like you'd carve on a tree?

Have you done any projects for Valentine's Day?

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-01T16:00:00.000-05:00

Can I make a sound on Wordless Wednesday? If so, that sound is WOO HOOO!

Blooming Progress

2012-01-30T14:30:00.001-05:00

I'm working on a pillow for Valentines Day. I love all those felt flowery wreaths you see online and I thought it would look pretty on a pillow. A huge heart for Valentines Day seemed just the thing. More pictures when I'm all done!