Katie's Cabin

Don't you just love how traditional blocks can still feel fresh and new depending on your fabric choices?  The Log Cabin block has been around for ages but the fabrics make the quilt special every time.  Fons and Porter sent me this great Build Your Best Log Cabin e-book that can be downloaded from their website.  Its chock full of instructions and ideas for using the Log Cabin block and creating your own quilt.  I've only done 2 log cabin blocks in my quilting life so I thought why not?


Fons & Porter's e-book - click to visit their site

My sweet dog Katie comes to work with me everyday and I decided she needs a little floor quilt for when she's not greeting customers.  She's gotten in the habit of snoozing on the anti-fatigue mat that I keep behind my cash register counter which makes things a little difficult for me.  I hate to make her get up and move every time I help a customer, so I'm thinking if she has a special place near the counter maybe we'll both be happy.

"Its hard working greeting customers & supervising my human"

This e-book is really full of good stuff.  I love how they provide a little history of the block and show some examples of antique quilts too.  Isn't it amazing to think we're making the same quilt blocks that were new and trendy in the mid-1800's?  They have included instructions for the traditional Log Cabin block, the Courthouse Steps block plus the Chimneys & Cornerstones version of Courthouse Steps, and also instructions for a Chevron version of the Log Cabin.  This e-book just keeps on giving!  You can make your own quilt design using the blocks, and they give you lots of details on how many strips to cut for 5 different sized blocks for each of those three block patterns along with setting option ideas.  Then there are 4 quilt patterns included in the book too.  Its really a treasure trove of goodies!  There are also a couple other interesting things in the book, but I'll let you discover those on your own.

So here's the fabric pull - I thought pink and aqua would be fun.  Its time to start cutting!  I really love this e-book from Fons & Porter and I hope Katie will love her quilt.  I'll show you when its all done!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope you have a sweet day today! 

Happy Halloween!

Just popping in real quick to wish you a Happy Halloween!  This is a little free motion quilting practice from last night. I need lots more practice!

A Wicked Welcome

Welcome to my post for the Wicked Blog Hop, hosted by the lovely Wendy of Why Knot Kwilt in conjunction with Madam Samm at Sew We Quilt.  A big hug to both ladies for the wonderful idea and for letting me join in on the fun! 

 

Please hop on your virtual broom and go visit the other Wicked bloggers today too!  I'm in such good company today and you'll find lots of wicked goodies here!

Sew Incredibly Crazy

Hill Valley Quilter

Fignie - A Geekie Crafty Life

Hot Pink Peonies  (that's me!)

Jane's Quilting

Sew Me Something Good

Buzzing And Bumbling

Polkadot Classic

Piece Peace

Selina Quilts

Pigtales And Quilts

Sew Mollie Sue, Quilt Much?

So how wicked was I feeling?  If you say "wicked," I think "witch" and I just knew I had a witch pattern in my library somewhere.  Spellbinding Quilts by Maaike Bakker has some super cute patterns, including wizards and princesses, gryphons, dragons and you guessed it ... a witch!

Isn't she cute, perched on her broom?  I didn't want to leave her unfinished so I added a little saying I read on some Halloween wall art the other day and turned the block into a wall hanging.

The meandering is not quite tidy but my free motion quilting is getting there.  I also quilted little spiderwebs into the top corners of the embroidered part.  Such fun!

Thanks for stopping by today, and be sure to visit the other quilters for lots more wickedness!

Sew Incredibly Crazy

Hill Valley Quilter

Fignie - A Geekie Crafty Life

Hot Pink Peonies  (that's me!)

Jane's Quilting

Sew Me Something Good

Buzzing And Bumbling

Polkadot Classic

Piece Peace

Selina Quilts

Pigtales And Quilts

Sew Mollie Sue, Quilt Much?

Friday Favorites: The Washi Tape Edition

**  Each of these Friday Favorites is something created by another blogger.  I do my best to include the proper credits and help you reach their blogs easily either through the text link or the photo link.  If you'd like to Pin one of these projects, please pin it directly from the original post,

not from this blog post.  Thanks!

Are you as obsessed with washi tape crafts as I am?  I have just a small collection of washi tape and paper tape at the moment, but I'm always on the hunt for fun ways to use it. 

How about a matryoshka doll on your craft room wall?  She is just adorable, and Sewn Studio even shared the pattern and instructions in a blog post.

 

For a fun pop of color, consider a striped desktop or table top!  This one is from Elise Blaha's blog.  Isn't this fun?  Its an inexpensive way to decorate too!  This would be a great way of adding color and individuality to an office where you can't change the walls like in a rented space or a college dorm.

 

 

Washi tape is great on glass too.  Add some to vases or candle holders, like these pretties from Decor8Blog.com.  Wouldn't you love to see these on your windowsill?  So cheerful!

 

 

Turn up the volume on a solid candle with a washi wrapper.  WohnWasabi shows you how with a quick tutorial.

 

And of course there are lots of inspirational photos of paper goods embellished with washi.  Greeting cards, mailing envelopes, gift tags, notebook covers. I've even seen it on laptops!  This Washi Gift Tag is one of my favorites from Craftaholics Anonymous.  I love how she added the floral touch too!

 



Washi buntings come in all shapes and sizes.  This is a cute one for topping off a special cake!  The blog post for this one includes a recipe for a chocolate cake.  It looks to be quite yummy.  That link is a two-fer!

 

And speaking of Pinterest, there are a ton of washi tape inspiration boards.  Just type washi in the search box, and you'll be browsing for hours and hours.  Ask me how I know. ;)

It's Never Too Early

... to get started on Christmas projects!

Last week I ran into the craft store for some white thread, and I just had to peruse the quilting books that were on sale.  I've had my eye on Pretty in Patchwork Holidays for some time and at the sale price I couldn't resist.

There are so many fun projects in here that I want to work on.  From embroidery work, to pillow covers, to a Christmas tree skirt, I hardly know where to begin!

I was inspired by this cute reverse applique pillow with the patchwork Christmas tree by Angela Mitchell of the blog Fussy Cut, and decided to do something similar. 

While I was collecting all my green scraps to work with, I stumbled across this cute pale blue with white snowflakes from Connecting Threads.  Its the perfect background for a Christmas tree.  A few 2 inch squares, a couple HST's and a few hours later, I have a tree!

It may gain a border of some sort and then turn into a table topper or wall hanging rather than a pillow.   Either way, it was a fun way to spend a few hours in October, dreaming of the smell of a Christmas tree and snowflakes gently falling.  This book is full of fun projects, and many can be adapted to suit other holidays or simply use your own fabric choices for wonderful everyday handmade goodies. 

It has also caused me to start my list of what gifts I'd like to make for family and friends this Christmas and boy, do I need to get started! 

Have you started planning your holiday decor and gifts yet?

Friday Favorites

It's Friday!  Here's a few fun things I discovered recently that you might like!

Have you been to Toxic Paper Factory?  I learned about this fun site from How About Orange.  My nephew is not a fan of arts & crafts projects, but ninjas?  Ninjas might be the exception!  These look like fun.  Download a free project here.

For my fellow embroidery enthusiasts, have you seen Sugar Cookie's wood floss holders?  I found her on Etsy, and this is her daschund floss bobbin.  He's made of birchwood, and she has some other cute designs too!


made by sugarcookie.etsy.com


Halloween is on the horizon and I've been pinning ideas to my Halloween Pinterest board.  Click to hop on over and find some fun ideas there too!

Did you stumble across any great discoveries this week?