But what do you do when, in addition to these more “urgent” things, you have something like this calling to you?

The collection is “Summertime” by Barbara Jones.  I’m loving the combination of colors and the strong patterns in these prints.   I’m anxious to reintroduce myself to my sewing machine.

And so they’ll sit while other things get done.

What do you do in cases like this?
HH

This half square triangle quilt was made using the Punctuation collection by American Jane for Moda.  I really like the happy colors in this line, and think that it lends itself well to a baby boy quilt.  Paired with a beautiful blue solid, I made this quilt with one charm pack.  The quilt measures approximately 42 inches wide by 46 inches long.

I used straight line quilting on this, carrying the horizontal and vertical lines across the green border to the edges of the quilt.  I then quilted on the diagonal, going opposite the line of the half square triangle squares, but kept the diagonal quilting in the center of the quilt only.  I’m very pleased with how the quilting went.  I feel that I’m getting better at it, but I’m also aware that this is a very small quilt.

If there was one thing about the quilt that I struggled with, it’s the fact that the charm pack came with so many squares of the pinstripe fabric, two of each color.  I didn’t realize when I bought it how little it had of the more graphic designs.  In spite of this, however, I think that the quilt came together nicely and, on the whole, is colorful and interesting to look at even with an overabundance of that particular print.

For the back I used the alphabet print in red, which I like a lot.  It seemed fitting for a little boy born at the beginning of the school year, the sixth child in his (quite amazing) family.

And for the binding I went with the same blue solid.  I like the way it works with the blue quilting lines that go through the green border and meet the binding. I feel like it pulls the whole quilt together.  The binding was machine stitched.  I’m getting faster at it, and think that I may have found a way to sew it on that I like.  I need to bind one more quilt to see if I’m right.

And lastly, my favorite part of the whole quilt:

That’s his footprint!  When he was a couple of days old I had his grandma trace his foot so I could make this little tag.  I simply embroidered it and then stitched it to the corner of the quilt back.  I really like it.

Because of the tag I decided to simply wrap it with a ribbon.  Now it’s wrapped around an adorable little boy, and I hope they love it.

Hopeful Homemaker

I’m looking at them wistfully, wishing for some time to sew.  I am craving creativity. Sometimes life is so intense that every minute must be spent just working to make our family function.  Now is one of those times.

Still, I’m longing to MAKE something!

Long sigh.

Back to the laundry.

Jennifer

I’ve been anxious for the release of Laurie Wisbrun’s Tufted Tweets collection, and it doesn’t disappoint.  I ordered some in the blue and green colorway, along with a few other pieces to coordinate.  I can’t believe how cute it is.  I’ve loved chairs for a long time, and birds as well.  To have chairs and birds on fabric?  A definite hit.  Judging the way it’s flown off the shelves of all the fabric stores, I’m not alone in my opinion.

Check out the chairs:

The sofa is so much fun.

After a grueling May and several weeks of bouncing in and out of town, I’m itching to do something creative.  I want to sew, paint something, organize my house, decorate for the 4th of July…. all kinds of stuff.  First I’ve got to climb out from under my dirty laundry and find a creative way to help my children remember that summer vacation involves both work AND play.  Wish me luck.  Oh, and if you’ve got any great tricks for accomplishing that, please share!

I hope you’re doing something creative today!

HH

Last week I had the pleasure of teaching my sister how to put borders on a quilt top.  For the center of the quilt, she used a 1.5 yard piece of the already pieced patchwork squares from the Martinique collection. My Mom bought her the fabric as a birthday gift.

She chose a pintuck fabric for the stop border, and the most gorgeous aqua print I’ve ever seen for the outer border.  Because we used the already pieced fabric for the center of the quilt, this project was completed very quickly.  Here is my happy sister displaying her work.

This fabric is so beautiful.  I’ve been tempted to buy some on multiple occasions, but have resisted.  I’m hoping that helping with this quilt will be enough to satisfy.   Can you believe how pretty it is?  I love it.

In addition to the beauty of the fabric, it’s exciting that my sister enjoys quilting enough to keep trying it.  I know she’s got another plan in the works for an Amy Butler quilt.  My sister in Colorado also loves quilting fabric.  It would be so cool to make a quilt with her as well.  I’d love to make one with my Mom, too.  We just might end up with a family of girls who love this hobby… I hope!

Now her quilt is off to the quilters and then she gets to learn how to bind it.  You’ve gotta love quick and simple projects.  And sisters.  And Moms.  I really love those, too.

Jennifer

A layer cake from French General’s second fabric collection arrived in the mail last week and I’ve been looking at it ever since.

I must admit that I braced myself for disappointment because I loved Rouenneries so much.  The thought was unnecessary; I’m very impressed!  Here’s a peek at this beautiful new collection.

A very pretty array of cream with reds.

Followed by an equally beautiful selection of cream with blues.

Toile in three colorways.

More of the red-faded-to-pink color that was in Rouenneries.

And some GORGEOUS deep reds that I’m loving.

This pretty selection of dusty aquas.

And this STUNNING group of deep blue.

I think this is my favorite print in the entire bunch.   It comes in red, aqua and beige as well.

There are also some beautiful solids.

I was unable to find any at my local shops, but I know that this collection also includes an incredible selection of wovens, particularly plaids.  The few I’ve seen are amazing.  I wish I had a layer cake or some charm packs of the wovens as well.  Simply beautiful!

Once again, French General has done a great job.   This line contains all of my favorite colors: red, white, blue and aqua.  Lots of pretty florals that call up memories of dresses from many years ago.  And although I don’t have pictures, that adorable little design along the selvage is on every bolt again.  Good thing!  I really like that touch.  I hope it’s part of their signature style.

This lovely group is my next project.  I’m so excited to see these incredible prints work together.  Nice work, Kaari!  You’ve done it again!

Hopeful Homemaker

Similar to their debut collection in color and style, this collection contains a reprint of the popular medallion prints from Rouenneries along with new prints that are really pretty.   I’m thinking that it will be fun to combine a bit of this collection with my scraps from Rouenneries for a fun project.

In fact, I added the fat quarters pictured above from Lumiere de Noel to the Rouenneries quilt I just cut pieces for.  I’m excited to see them together.

Once again, I love the pattern on the edges of the fabric.

The bird print is really pretty.

I also like this pattern quite a bit.

Set to ship in June, this line has a few prints I’ll be on the lookout for!

Hopeful Homemaker

Well, about an hour later, Kate left a comment on the post, which was so kind of her, and although I have absolutely no idea how she found her way to my post, I do know that her comment led me directly to her website.

And I think I can say that I now have a new favorite designer to watch.

Let me back up.  A few weeks ago a new Crate & Barrel catalog came in the mail, and I devoured all the pictures, as usual.  One in particular was torn out of the catalog and kept for 2 reasons:  1.  I want these!  2.  Inspiration.

Did you see these too?  And do you like them like I do?

I mean, I’d like several in each color, but if I had to choose, I’d take the aqua ones.  They’re beautiful and affordable.  You can buy them individually or in sets of four.   Hello!  Can they get any cuter?

Back to Kate Spain.  You see, not only is she responsible for the gorgeous quilting fabric that I’m currently in love with, but imagine my delight when I read a few posts on her blog and discovered that SHE is the designer of those lovely Loire plates, the very plates I tore out of the catalog,  from Crate & Barrel!  She also designed these awesome melamine plates.

Wow!  I was so excited to discover that two different products which I’m so drawn to are designed by the same person.  Cute stuff!

Well, it gets even better than that.  She’s currently giving away one layer cake from the Verna collection, and some totally cute gift bags and takeout boxes for a second winner.  So hurry on over here and get in on the fun.  You have until March 20th to enter.

And thank you, thank you Kate for sharing your awesome designs!  I love them.

Hopeful Homemaker

The pattern is Wild Thing by Thimble Blossoms, and the fabric I used is Verna by Kate Spain for Moda.  It’s still in need of borders, but I can’t remember the last time a quilt top made me smile like this one does.

Let me just say that I LOVE this pattern.  And let me also say that the Verna line is GORGEOUS.   It just might be my new favorite.  Here’s a peek at some of the fabulous prints in this collection.

I love the tulip pattern, and the stripes (above) are just plain happy. That pink swirly print (below) is called Breezy Budding and yes, it’s as wonderful as it looks.  The two-tone green print below the pink comes in several different colors and I really like it.

This collection has the most wonderful selection of both small and large scale prints.  I love the variety of colors, several shades of green and blue mixed with bright pink, peach, yellow and brown.  A very well-rounded collection.  There are about 8 different prints that I looked at and thought how well they would go with other collections and projects.   I love how all of them look against the Kona White.  (Happy sigh.)

In spite of my better judgment, my heart keeps saying to me “I need some.”  Seriously, I’d love to have a fat quarter of every piece in the collection, but this quilt will have to do.  My goal is to USE my fabric this year and not just accumulate it.  This afternoon I’m headed to choose borders for this quilt.   I can hardly wait!

The line is Marabella.  It’s designed by Amy Hamberlin of Kati Cupcake Designs, for Henry Glass Fabrics.  It also comes in a purple colorway.  You can see all of the swatches here.

The purple colorway is very cute.  I’m just not drawn to purple.  I remember that for a time it was my favorite color as a little girl, so perhaps I’m bound to love it again someday.  For now, though, purple is rarely my color of choice.  It’s been that way for years.

This line doesn’t have as many different prints or colorways as many other lines do, but what I’ve discovered is that a lot of these prints actually look really good with some of the Nicey Jane line by Heather Bailey (think hop dot, church flowers, slim dandy, and pocketbook patterns).  The brighter pinks look great with the Whimsy line by Pillow & Maxfield (pink colorway) which I fell in love with last summer.  For me, these are great fabrics to throw in the mix and to help me pull together another project with scraps from other lines.

This pink polka dot with whimsical tulips is one of my favorite prints in the line.

My other favorite is the blue with paisley prints.

I’ve come to the realization that my choice in fabric is very predictable.  I like a lot of light colors in very bright, fresh colors.  I’m particularly drawn to blues, greens and pinks.   Something about them just makes me happy.  Oh well, I guess we’ll just keep the happiness coming!

Hopeful Homemaker