Potholder Pass

If you are interested in joining any sewing swaps, I highly recommend the Potholder Pass swap 

run by the talented Amy.  This group has been branching out beyond potholders to 

occasionally include tea towels, sewn shopping bags, and now coasters.

This round also had a theme of "My House to Yours for the potholders. 

I had two separate partners as you can tell by the differing color schemes. 

It is nice to sign up for a small project challenge every now and then.

Today we got a ton of apples from a local orchard, so I know what my handmade challenge 

will be tomorrow--canning applesauce!

Giveaway Winner(s)!!

I had such a tremendous response to the initial letter giveaway.  42 comments?!  This was so great that it was hard to pick just one.  So, I let the random number generator pick three instead. 

So, the winners are...

#15--Vanesa

#11--SoSarahSews

and #28--Charise

I'll be working on some fabric picks and block designs just for you.  Please be patient as my sewing table is always full of projects.  Three pincushions will be on their way soon!


In the meantime...here is a shot of my latest block design/work in progress for the cocorico bee:

Done!

This project comes from Rashida Coleman-Hale's book, i love patchwork. It is a ball made entirely by English Paper Piecing. I did the hand stitching on it last year--before I knew better. Now I know that 8-10 stitches per inch is enough. At the time, I was constantly worried that it would fall apart, so I did more like 25-35 stitches per inch. This thing is never coming apart. Which is good. I'm sending it to a friend to welcome her second baby. I reclaimed a rattle from another thrifted toy and placed that rattle inside this ball. So baby will play with it, and older sibling might get in on the fun and test those stitches, too. 

Cocorico bee block for September

Lauree asked for "kitchen couture" blocks for her month of the cocorico bee. 

I started with a pencil sketch.

Then I used this tutorial to thread sketch the wire whisk attachment.
I also used foundation paper on the back and drawing paper on the front while I stitched it.
I had to use a tweezers to get some of the paper out but it turned out okay.

To make the mixer paddle I used this tutorial to piece the background fabric into the gray and then used it again to piece the gray into the background again.  (does that make sense?)  I hadn't planned on thread sketching on this portion of the block.  But, the gray needed to stand out from the background fabric more and the sketching did secure the piecing better.

I paper pieced the dough hook. 

Then I improv pieced the tops of all of the attachments and improvised connecting them all into one block.  Lastly, I did some thread sketching on the dough hook to tie it all together.

Sooooo...that was my process for the September block. October's month is "all things orchard". I've got some ideas brewing. Stay tuned...

Initial Giveaway

I've been busy with paper piecing letters since April.  I've also been really touched by getting more readers and more comments lately.  I know that a lot of blogs give away patterns or fabric, but I'd like to make a little special something to give away.  I'd like to make an initial block just for you.

So, if you'd like to enter, please leave one comment below.  Please comment with the letter that you'd like and your favorite color.  I'll pull one name and design a letter block and make you a pincushion (or a coaster for non sewists) and send it out to you.  I hope this will be a fun way to say thank you.

......

edited to add:  I'm obviously not experienced in giveaways.  Please be sure that I can get in touch with you.  If you are set up as a no-reply blogger, then please include your email address.  Also, I'll pick a number and announce next week Friday.

It takes two, baby.

While sewing templates for block #30 together after midnight and without the 

book in front of me, I accidentally created a totally different block.  

I happen to love it and I will definitely include it in my quilt.

Below is the original block #30:

I figure that running a farm takes both the farmer and his wife.  

So, here is my block called #112 Farming Duo (until I hear otherwise).

 

If you have a block encyclopedia book or if you've seen this block before and know a name for it, I'm very interested.  If you look through your encyclopedia and don't see it, I'm even more interested.  

I'd love to learn how to design traditional-type blocks.  There are so many that I can't 

imagine how you you would come up with something completely new.  Although, 

left to my own devices, I could probably only do it by accident anyhow.

Have you ever designed a block of your own (by accident or on purpose)?