Briar Rose Needle Book - Swap Inspiration

Hello, Friends!

Have you signed up yet,

for the Need A Little Needle Book Swap?

{I'm happy to say we're off to a great start already. Flickr group is here.}

Today I'd like to describe my Briar Rose sample,

and share some ideas for the design details.

I started with a fabric stack

that I'd put together to make this Noodlehead Divided Basket.

I love the unexpected color scheme:

lilac and gold.

I began with prints from Briar Rose by Heather Ross,

along with a geometric print from an early

Jennifer Paganelli line, Bell Bottoms.

A solid from Free Spirit - called Spark Gold - ties it all together.

The wonderful tutorial from nana company

begins with a piece of patchwork.

Can you believe this is the back of the needle book?

{I'm going to have to make one with a patchwork front next time.}

This time, though, I used the solid gold fabric for the front,

and I added a cute little detail,

using ribbon tape.

I stole borrowed that design idea from

 Kristyne of Pretty By Hand blog,

who is an expert at making these needle books.

See her tutorial here for using ribbon tape accents!

I bought my ribbon tape 

from Billy Cotton Shop on Etsy 

and can recommend this shop wholeheartedly.

Now, on the inside, I've used some luscious wool felt,

which I bought from another favorite shop on Etsy,

Retromama.

I could not resist buying a stack of felt,

in gorgeous bright colors.

Also, I chose some neutrals.

For my needle book, I selected,

after much thought and consideration...

the WHITE felt.

{The irony is not lost on me. But it just looks so good.}

See that golden ric rac?

I had a tiny spool of it, part of a set I found at JoAnn,

and I think it looks great, holding some fancy pins

and a little swatch of the lilac fabric.

Do you like my little sample?
I've decided to give it away,

to someone who joins the

Need A Little Needle Book Swap!

Everyone who signs up is automatically entered

for the random drawing.

{Because everyone needs a little surprise in their mailbox now and then.}

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CLOSED... The Need A Little Needle Book Swap! ---CLOSED

Sometimes we all need a little encouragment

to try something new...

or we need a little break from everyday stress...

or we just need a little bit of beauty in our day.

That's why I'm putting together the 

"Need A Little Needle Book Swap".

GUIDELINES:

1. Join the swap by May 31, 2014.  
Entries are now CLOSED. Thank you, all!

All you need to do is send an email to me at

eamylove@aol.com
with your mailing address.

 {You can comment on this post, too, but please also email me.}

2.  Let me know if you could do an international swap,

or if you prefer to stay within your own country.

You can also let me know if you have any preferences of colors

or styles you would like to receive from your partner.

3. I will assign you a partner. My target date is June 7, 2014.

You will receive an email from me, near that date.

4. It's up to you, whether you would like to keep your identity

from your partner, or would like to contact her to get to know her tastes.

Either way is fun!

5. Create a needle book for your partner and mail it out

by June 30, 2014.

6.  Feel free to include any extras your partner might enjoy...

sweets, sewing notions, fabric scraps or another handmade item.

7.  Have some fun posting pictures on your blog or on Flickr.

Our new Flickr Group page is here!

You can give sneak peeks or just go ahead and show it all.

It's fun to get inspiration from others.

8. Reach out to me, via email, if you have any issues.

Things happen...and sometimes we need a little support

or just can't meet the target date.

I can contact your partner to let them know to be patient...

something good is about to happen.

9. If you need to bow out gracefully, that's okay, too.

No stress permitted in this swap!

10. Above all, encourage one another.

Make new friends with your fellow swappers,

visit their blogs, comment on their photos, and enjoy the group.

So, now...we need a little information...

just what are we swapping???

A needle book is basically just 

a pretty little sewing booklet 

with pages of fabric or felt,

for keeping pins and needles safe and handy.

For my model,

I used the fabulous, free tutorial found

at Nana Company.

You can find many other awesome designs

and tutorials out there for needle books,

so you are not limited to this particular style.

{But isn't it just so cute?!?!?!?!}

Check out my Pinterest board,

Needle Books,

and you'll see a few more ideas.

Sewing-Time Needle Book from thehappyzombie.com

Here's another style I love...

Tutorial by Stitch Craft Create

I need a little more space...this post is long enough!

I'll be back soon to share more details

about this little needle book,

along with an exciting little surprise!

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A New Herd of Elephants

Here they come...a whole new herd

of baby elephants!

The last time I posted,

I introduced my first bunch of these little elephants,

made using the Tilly and Tommy Elephant Softie pattern,

by Retromama.

They sure were fun to create,

using the pattern pieces printed a bit smaller, at 75%.

Turns out...I needed a lot more BOY elephants,

so this time I chose some brighter prints.

{I think they are actually suitable for little girls, too!}

I'm just crazy for the navy blue and lime combination!

The checkerboard print is from Bonnie and Camille's

Happy Go Lucky line. 

I paired it with a retro flower print

from V and Co's Simply Color, both for Moda.

I got a bit carried away with some of my stash

of Heather Bailey prints, in Bijoux and Fresh Cut.

A couple of the others were made from

Tula Pink's Hushabye line,

in baby soft aqua and white, with tiny raindrops

and sweet circus wheel motifs.

See that gray elephant in the center,

with the red gingham ears?

I think I'm playing favorites here,

but I.Love.That.One.

{The gray print was from another Bonnie and Camille line, called Vintage Modern.}

I really enjoyed taking in a bag full of baby elephants,

so my friends could choose one just right for their special little baby!

It was more fun than a 3-ring circus!

I'll be making more of these someday...


LINKING TO SEWCANSHE
Show Off Saturday Linky Party!

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Elephants Never Forget

When I was a new blogger,

I featured some Tillie and Tommy elephant softies 

I had made for baby gifts.

{PDF pattern by Retromama is available on Etsy.}

Ever since then, these little elephants

have been one of my favorite go-to baby gifts to make.

Lately, it seems I've had less time than ever for sewing,

and meanwhile many MANY of my friends

have been having new babies...and grandbabies...

entering their lives.

Since I'm waaaaaaay overdue on 

welcoming these new sweethearts into the world,

I decided to make a whole herd of Tillies and Tommys.

Want to meet them?

These new elephants look just like

the others I've made before, except...

they are MINI elephants!

{Don't you think everything looks cuter when it's smaller?}

As suggested by Retromama herself,

I simply reduced the pattern pieces to 75%

and made them up according to the instructions.

Here's how they looked before the polyfil

stuffing was added.

{A nice pressing does wonders for the finished softies.}

Let's talk fabrics...

I had such fun choosing pairs of fabrics

for this batch.

For the brown elephant,

I selected two Joel Dewberry classics,

from the Chestnut Hill line.

I just had to make a gray elephant,

shown at the top of the heap, 

and this Lecien floral print looked lovely

with pink ears from Tanya Whelan's Darla line.

Because I am such a great Tanya Whelan fan,

I selected another print to be paired with that pink Darla fabric.

Isn't this sweet, with the aqua Rosey print for the ears?

And now let's try it again, reversed.

Look...they love each other!

For the last two baby elephants in this batch,

I decided to use some lovely yellow and gray prints

from Willow by Riley Blake.

This time I did something a bit different...

I used one print for the front sections

and the other for the back sections...

and them reversed them for the other "twin."

It's subtle...can you see what I mean?

{Normally I use the same print for the entire body,

with only a contrasting print for the inner ears.}

They make an adorable set of twins, don't they?

It just so happens that my wonderful friend who is expecting twin girls

has decorated their nursery in...yellow and gray!

These little elephants are anxious to meet their new babies,

and for once I'm ahead of schedule!

But for those babies and grandbabies who are now more like toddlers,

I can fill their little arms with squeezy baby elephants...

with cute little tails to tug...

and the wonderful mommies and grandmas will know,

like an elephant, I didn't forget!

I'm off to make my next herd of baby elephants!

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Living Color - Blue and Gold

In honor of Franklin Regional High School,
where our son returns to classes today,

I'm sharing some

Blue and Gold inspiration.

Pillow by JillianReneDecor on Etsy

From BabyBloomsBoutique on Etsy

Free Printable from Sweet Greets blog

Chevron Pillow from bedbuggs on Etsy

Bunting from thespottedbarn on Etsy

Necklace from HappyLittleLovelies on Etsy

Infinity Scarf from ITalkofDreams on Etsy

We are so proud of our students,
teachers, first responders,
hospitals, and our community.
This experience will not define us.
There will be scars, but also healing.

Thanks to all who have been praying
for Franklin Regional!

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