WOW! My first blog award ever!

A big thank-you goes to 
Suz Claas at Claas Creations for nominating me!
Her blog is full of sewing and crafty goodness!  Here are a couple of my favorite projects by Suz...


{I love this Michael Miller fabric and all the cool accessories Suz made!}

{And here's HER version of a Pinterest project that I've also pinned, but didn't make yet.}

{And THIS...THIS...OMGosh...this fabulous quilt!  Sigh...}

And now, ladies and gentlemen,
it gives me great pleasure to pass along the Liebster Blog Award to:


Karen P at sewpeachey


{I want these....sooooo bad!  Hello, Luscious, indeed!}

B at B's Modern Quilting

{I am holding B personally responsible for enabling my renewed obsession with paper piecing.
If I become totally dysfunctional, it's all B's fault!}

Cindy at Adventures of the Singing Quilter

{A bit of perfection, even in a closeup...a fabulous zipper, AND it's ORANGE!}

April at Forshe'e Designs

{Speaking of wonderful zippers...here's another one!  Pretty IPad cover!}

Kim of 11:59 Studio

{And just one of Kim's great Zakka Style projects.  Check out her sewing kit, which she embellished beautifully!}

{I hope I won't offend anyone who has way more than 200 followers...
I wasn't able to see that info on all of these blogs.}


These are the rules of the Liebster Blog Award:

The Liebster is an award presented to bloggers with less than 200 followers. It's about spreading some love to the little guys in blogland:) The rules are quite simple:

1. Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.
2. Link back to the blogger who presented the award to you.
3. Copy and paste the blog award on your blog.
4. Present the Liebster Blog Award to 5 blogs of 200 followers or less who you feel deserve to be noticed.
5. Let them know they have been chosen by leaving a comment at their blog.

And now I'm off to celebrate with a bit of sewing...
hope you can do the same, in my honor!

Zakka Style Sewing Kit

We are now in Week #4 the Zakka Style Sew Along!

Time flies when you're having fun!

{Join us...details are at LRStitched!}

This week's project is a sewing kit contributed by Theresia Cookson

of minoridesign.blogspot.com.

{This week's blog post is by Katy from Monkey Do.  Visit her for more inspiration!}

Allow me to introduce my prim and proper version...

ivory linen with dainty polka dots of navy on a pistachio background,

and a little scissors applique.

{Deceptively innocent, no?}

But when you open it up...hello!!!

A field of funky flowers greets you, 

inviting you to start your next sewing project.

{Who needs coffee?}

I love that this project is so functional and pretty...

I used fabric ties to hold it all together, 

instead of the leather strips suggested in the book.  

I like the pop of color they add.

And I love that I could make it have its own unique personality.

{or two!}

It looks so cute, all filled up with notions and what-not!

That divided pocket stole my heart!

So are you convinced yet that you need this book?

{Visit eamylove on Etsy if you would like to purchase my version

of this sewing kit and pincushion!}

Chestnut Hill Diaper Bag

Once upon a time,

back in Spring 2007, to be precise,

Joel Dewberry released a beautiful line of fabric, 

called Chestnut Hill.

I bought some prints from this line quite a while ago, including

Black-Eyed Susan...

Modern Petal...

and Buttercup

{Actually my print was in a different colorway.}

I needed a diaper bag as a present for a lovely new mom!

The baby is a boy, so I decided these fabrics would

make a nice tote.

I've used this pattern for several diaper bags...

It's called Pocket Parade, by Quilts Illustrated.

Mine looks sooooo different from the one on the pattern cover!

{It's the one I used, though - believe me.}

I love all the pockets on the outside...

front, back, and one on each side!

AND all the pockets on the inside!

{Here's a peek!}

 I used a strip of divided pockets for one side.

They are so handy for pens, sunglasses and what-not.

{I always have a lot of what-not.  Do you?}

And on the OTHER side,

I varied from the pattern and added

a zippered pocket!

{You can put stuff in here like money or credit cards.}

The bag has lots of detailing and a sturdy strap.

Fusible fleece makes the tote soft and shapely, too.

The bag holds its shape so nicely, even without anything inside it.

Here's a view of the cute little tab with a D-ring.

{You could hang keys or a baby toy on there!}

I sure hope the new mommy will enjoy her diaper bag!

I've got pictures of more bags from this pattern. 

Leave me some comments 

if you'd like to see them in another post sometime!

Zakka Style Pincushion

Here we are at Week #3

in the Zakka Style Sew Along!

If you are just tuning in,

check out the LRStitched post here.

This week's project was the one that "had me at hello" for this book!

As soon as I saw it, I knew I would be making one of my very own.

The contributor for the project is

Sonia Cantie,

and her blog of beauty is cozyhomemaking.typepad.com.

{Go and say hello!}

{Here is a photo of my pincushion next to a photo of Sonia's pincushion.}

I'm going to indulge myself and show you a BUNCH of photos 

of this tiny little project, because she was such a good little model!

I recently purchased a bit of this sweet linen print from Heather Ross's

Far Far Away III line for Kokka.

I loved it for its powdery blue background

and most especially for the little dandelions,

waiting for wishes.

Next I noticed the bits of orange and the life they introduced.

I brought out my scraps of Aviary by Joel Dewberry,

in one of the original colorways.

The broad stripe begged to come along into this project!

I featured it on the back, 

adding a covered button from another print within the same Aviary line.

Sonia's lovely example used a stamp to create a patch of goodness,

but I didn't have a stamp handy that felt right.

{Plus...I haven't stamped anything for so long that my ink had dried up!}

Instead, I made a "postage stamp" bit of applique,

zigzagging it into place.

A scrap of lace brought some frothy cuteness...

And I put this lovely wee dragonfly to use,

in a place of honor on the little applique.

Charming, yes?

{That must be why they call them "charms".}

Once it was stuffed to a squeezy plumpness,

I stitched up the opening

and admired my lovely little

Far Far Away pincushion.

{I actually admired it from close close up!}

I think it came straight out of a

seamstress's storybook.

If you love this fairy tale star, you can purchase it from

eamylove on Etsy!

Aunt Ellie's Casserole Carriers

I have been blessed with a family 

that includes many women who love to sew.

One of them is my Aunt Ellie, 

a beautiful woman who has a generous nature 

and a boundless creative spirit, and...

a twin sister, my Aunt Sharon, to match!
{A future post will feature Aunt Sharon.}

I wish they lived next door to me, or at least very nearby.

One day last year, Aunt Ellie and I had a fun day of sewing, and she taught me how to make this clever and innovative casserole carrier.

Once I started making these, I couldn't stop...

Recipe for Friendship by Mary Engelbreit

Friends have given many of these as fun and practical gifts.  

They are perfect for parties and potlucks...

Breakfast at Tiffany's by Fig Tree Quilts

And tailgating...

And gifts, for weddings, showers, new grads and mothers!

Breakfast at Tiffany's by Fig Tree Quilts

Sometimes I list some carriers in my shop on Etsy, eamylove.

{Contact me if you would like one custom-made, just for you!}

Several people asked me if I had a pattern 

they could purchase and make their own casserole carriers.

I'm happy to report that I've developed

"Aunt Ellie's Casserole Carrier Pattern"

in a tutorial-style PDF version.

Photos are plentiful, and there are many tips to guarantee success.

Only straightline sewing is needed, and you can finish one up in a matter 

of a couple of hours, even the first time.

Want to know how it works?

Just center any casserole or baking dish or pie plate, 

up to a 9" x 13" cake pan, 

on top of the lining, under the handle.

Bring up the handle, folding it in half.  

Place one loop over the handle...

Deb Strain's Giddy and Java for Moda

And then the other loop over the handle.

That's it!!!

{Prepare to have all heads turn when you walk into a party or picnic 

with your goodies inside.}