My Pixie Basket

Have you see it the Pixie Baskets

making their way into blogs and

Instagrams and every quilter's heart?

Here's my contribution to this teeny trend.

Heidi Staple of Fabric Mutt

has generously provided a free tutorial,

so that anyone can make a Pixie Basket.

They require very little fabric and time...

and you get a whole bunch of cuteness in the end.

I used some scraps of Simply Color

by V and Co for Moda, for my basket.

I like the navy blue interior and the lime accent band

against a lighter outside fabric.

This little basket aren't destined to get very dirty, after all.

It will be kept on a pedestal and will only be asked to stay cute.

And speaking of cute...

can you barely stand the sweet buttons inside the basket?

They are a treasured gift from my dearest friend,

and I recognized those button cards right away.

There is a free printable button card file here,

by the incomparable Amy Sinibaldi of nanacompany.

You can print them and attach your own favorite buttons.

Trust me...they make an awesome present.

{Mother's Day is just around the corner, here in the USA...}

Just sayin'...

Pin It

Springtime in the Kitchen

Home Sweet Home...

We've just returned from a family trip to Florida!

Those warm sunny days make me wish spring would

hurry up and make its way to Pennsylvania!

{I picked up some daisies to brighten the kitchen, while I wait.}

Remember my kitchen table topper,

made from some happy red gingham

and a vintage-style cherry print from Terry's Fabrics?

Well, I've used it again to add some more cherry pop

to my country kitchen.

I started with a little cherry berry basket,

made using this tutorial from Noodlehead.

Paper napkins are very lovely in my basket...

but so are GINGHAM napkins!

All I did was hem some 14 1/2" squares of gingham. 

Since they are woven, there is no "wrong side."

{I always say, you can't go wrong with gingham.}

Next on my wishlist for my cherry kitchen

was a little counter topper,

made to match the table topper.

How did I do it?  Simple!

Cutting:

(6) 2 1/2" x 15" cherry strips

(6) 2 1/2" x 15" gingham strips

(1) 12" x 15" Pellon ShapeFlex SF101 interfacing

(1) 12" x 15" cherry backing

At least 1 1/2 yds. Ricrac - 5/8" wide 

Sewing:

Stitch the strips of fabric together

with a 1/4" seam, pressing each seam to one side.

When finished,

the patchwork measures 12" x 15".

Fuse the SF101 interfacing to the 

back of the patchwork, to give it wonderful shaping.

Next baste the gingham in place

just less than 1/4" from the edges of the patchwork.

Pin the patchwork top and the cherry backing

wrong sides together, and stitch just inside the basting,

so that the previous stitches will not show.

Leave an opening on one side for turning.

Turn the topper right sides out,

and smooth out the ricrac along the edges.

Press well, then topstitch near the edges to finish!

I think it looks just great on my countertop.

You know what else?  

It's reversible!

 It makes me smile to see those little aqua dots
in the background of the cherry print.
I really love decorating my kitchen with cherry pop!

Soon the sunny days will be here at my house,

and I'll be making some fresh food...

and sewing some fresh new projects.
I've got a new set of fabrics from Terry's Fabrics to show you!

Come back soon to see what's cooking!

{I'm happy to be the newest contributor for the How To Blog at Terry's Fabrics! 
Head on over to check out more great ideas...}

Linking up with Fort Worth Fabric Studio

Pin It

Handmade Holidays from All Year Long - 2013

I really really really love Christmas...

especially the handmade decorations

and cookies that go along with it.

Last December I finally acknowledged to myself

that the month of December

is probably the month when I actually sew the least!

No wonder, since I do my sewing in the dining room.

That's why I decided to try to make at least one

Christmas-y handmade / handsewn item

every month, during 2013.

Would you like to see a review of my year

of handmade holiday stitching?

January...

a Snowflake pillow made from a vintage quilt.

February...

Mini Christmas stockings from the Fig Tree Quilts pattern.

March...

a Cherry Christmas table runner from the Cotton Way Candy pattern.

April...

a Paper Snowflake Pillow from my own tutorial.

May...

a Divided Basket from the Noodlehead pattern.

June...

Some Christmas gift tags using a tutorial by Nana Company.

July...

First, a Topiary Tree Pillow from my own free tutorial...

and also a Christmas bunting!

August...

Christmas Pinwheel mug rugs.

September...

a Christmas mug rug from The Patchsmith's Ticker Tape pattern.

October...

the Comfort and Joy mug rug of my own design.

November...
was a big finish for me. The Holly Jolly Tree Skirt
really put me in the Christmas spirit.

{I need to make another one for myself!}

and now it's December!

{Will I actually make something this month?  Stay tuned...}

Pin It

Postage Stamp Basket Blocks

I have a "thing" for baskets...

and another "thing" for pincushions.

Here's one way I took care of both of those "things."

The May theme for the Across The Pond Sew Along
is BASKETS, and I must confess I had a head-start making mine.
Look at this stack of blocks that I made
a long time ago...

I started with a whole bunch of 5" squares of fabrics
from a Thimbleberries club hosted by a shop that no longer exists.

These days I gravitate toward brighter, more modern fabrics,
but I'm still deeply in love with
these little basket blocks.

Even the name is cute...Postage Stamp Baskets!
In 1976 the USA celebrated its bicentennial,
and interest in quilting and other colonial arts 
experienced a revival.
Eighteen months after the Bicentennial
a 13-cent stamp was issued,
honoring the quilters of America.

{Yes...13 cents...tells you how long ago that happened!}

Years later, Alex Anderson featured this quilt block
on her show Simply Quilts, seen  on HGTV in the 1990's.
That's when I learned to make this block.

You can find Alex's updated video tutorial today
on The Quilt Show website!

A few years ago, I actually assembled
my black and tan basket blocks into this little table topper.

{Did I ever tell you how much I love quilts that are set on point?}

I was just learning to stipple quilt when I made this one,
and it's slightly embarrassing,
yet endearing at the same time.

{I had tension issues...but that's okay.}

My points are cut off more often than not.
When that happens,
I always claim that I did that on purpose,
to make it "primitive".

;)

{I'm going to make up a word for it...primitize.
Say it with me:  I primitized my quilt.}

I've got a second mini-quilt top made,
 this one in shades of green and red.

Won't this be pretty for Christmas?

{Maybe this Christmas???}

Oh.My. This one is really primitized!

I've still got a basketful of basket blocks left...
so I stitched up a few into those primitive pincushions
I mentioned above.

I paired them up with a coordinating 4-patch, for the back.

They are so simple...just stitched together,
with an opening for turning.
Here's how they looked when I turned them right-side-out and
gave them a nice pressing with the iron.

I just added a bit of stuffing and stitched them closed.

I still have a whole bunch left...

What should I make???
More pincushions?

Or use the rest in one more super-scrappy, primitized quilt?

{Now accepting: free advice.}

Pin It