Modern Baby Boy Quilt

I've got a few baby quilt in the works, and due to workload they've been in the works for quite some time...
This is one of them being laid out. It's based on a quilt pattern made by Oh Fransson. I started with these squares which I thought worked quite well. I looks nice, happy and I thought it all worked quite nicely together.

But as I was adding the missing squares I realized that the green stripy fabric from the Twirl line didn't work at all, there was too much white in it as you can see when it's all laid out. So I'm currently in the process of unpicking those and replacing it with something greener.

I'm also sketching on an applique, I think I might have something that will work. It's a little crazy but might go over, do you think adding a little red to this in applique form would be really weird? Maybe it's better to stick to blues and greens?

And yes, I really, really do need a design wall again!

My Mom Visited!!

My mother and step dad (feels so wrong to call him that, he's awesome!) Hasse visited us for week a short while back and not only did we have a lovely time (despite a rather intense sand storm for a few days) but she also taught me how to crochet! I had no idea how fun and relaxing this activity was (relaxing after I'd learned not to grip the needle like my life depended on it, I bent it a couple of times actually ^^ ).

We made flowers!! Lot's and lots of flowers! Mom made the hearts for me and a few of the flowers but I did make quite a few of them myself =)

My first flower to the left and to the right of it, my most advanced one so far ^^

Mom also brought a fantastic gift! A Gutermann thread set, which is pretty much the dream to own! =D

Behind each of the threads is the color number, so you don't even have to save the old spools, you can just look at the number to replace a color or buy more, super handy! 

Today's confession: Sometimes I open it just to stroke the pretty colors for a while, really makes me happy and calm =) Thank you mom and I miss you already! <3

Tova Has Finished Elementary School!

My sewing student Tova, who's become a really talented little seamstress during our 3 years together is finished with elementary school. But sadly for me, this means that our sewing classes also have ended. I couldn't be prouder of her and we've learned so much together!

She finished with a bang and we made a really cool sweater for her and of course the final thing we made for her class was a sami bracelet. =)

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The Jacket

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Tovas super cool jacket, made from this Simplicity Pattern: 1940 Misses' Jackets Designed with Love By Sara :

We decided to skip the shoulder decorations as we felt it would be too much, and I'm really happy with the outcome. Look at those pretty seams! I couldn't possibly be prouder of her work! =D

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Sami Bracelet

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 Then she also made a sami bracelet which turned out beautiful!

Needless to say, she got the top grade, an A in her sewing class! I couldn't be prouder Tova, keep on creating! <3

Stash Stack Club and more fabric!

It's Fashion Week here in Malta which means a lot of work for me (yay!), it's a really fun week but oh so exhausting on top of normal work! =)

It was my birthday a while back and my lovely mother sent me the most adorable packet with this inside: 

It's Keep Calm from Timeless Treasures, I LOVE IT! I bought a pattern just for it so I hope I'll have time to make something out of it soon ^^ 

I've also received 2 Stash Stack Club packages which I haven't had time to blog about yet, March and April. Let me tell you, it was fantastic to receive the full pack of 12! I loved the amazing range of shades and styles I got now, I'll never be able to stop this club, it's such an amazing addiction! =D

Look at it! Isn't it glorious! <3

My favorites in the yellow are many but the top two has to be the Flora Dots in Saffron from Free Spirit's La Dee Da and Leafy Stripe in Mustard from Moda's Simply Color line. So pretty! Had no idea I was such a mustard loving girl ^^

And I also bought some Noteworthy by Sweetwater, love their lines so much! Got it from Fat Quarter Shop whom I love for their fantastic customer service, always so helpful and kind!

And I've even found time for some quilting! Isn't that amazing! Diana isn't a fan of midnight quilting so she fell asleep, she knows she's not allowed on the project so she snuggled up right next to it for her nap. ^^
I'm remaking an old pattern of mine, will share it with you after Sunday =)

Basket For My Clothespins

My washroom is in the process of receiving an overhaul and much needed face lift. I've got some nice new shelves for this and that, a really nice cabinet from Ikea for dirty clothes and such so I felt I really needed something prettier than my current zip lock bag for my clothespins.

I've had my eye on this adorable basket pattern from Sweetwater for a few years but never really had any use for such a pretty basket until now =) So I happily purchased it and used some leftover jelly roll strips of Twirl by Me & My Sister combined with some black Kona. I think it turned out really sweet.

Instead of  putting the batting on the outside pieces through I put it on the lining to get a less baggy inside and make it easy to get to the last few pins at the bottom. I also used Pellon Thermolam instead of the suggested cotton batting for a smoother look and feel. I'm really happy with the outcome! Really fun basket to make and I'm once again back to my ruffle obsession I fear...

Baby Boy Baby Shower Gifts

One of my friends is having a little baby boy and the baby shower is today.
To start with, I made a little quilt of course! I made this top at a quilt retreat a few years back and it's been lying around as an UFO ever since then. It really was perfect for this gift! It was meant as a wall hanging to begin with - as it's still today the most advanced thing I've ever sewn with those Y seams! But as I don't have much space in our little apartment - I figured I'd better put it to good use as a baby blocks quilt where it will be used and hopefully loved then to leave it waiting for more wall space to hang it. I cut it down as it was a bit to long and then added the border for a little width and framing.

I free motion quilted the feather borders and I really love how it came out, feathers are so much fun to quilt! I wanted badly to add more quilting, outlining of the feathers, a little embellishment in them and more quilting in the cubes but I didn't want it to feel stiff so I refrained, after a long discussion with myself.  =)

I also made a Sushi-Roll Changing Pad and Diaper & Wipes Pouch, tutorial can be found here. Really awesome little kit I think, perfect to keep packed and stacked near the door for when you're just going out for a little while and don't want to bring the whole changing bag maybe?  Or to keep as a pretty kit in the changing bag? Sandra, my friend have a lovely and quite romantic style in the summer so I hope she'll like the fabric I chose for the outside. However, as she is having a boy, I had to choose a more manly spot fabric for the inside of the bag and the upside of the pad =)

It felt really weird to go shopping for diapers and wet wipes to fill this with XD

All wrapped up and ready to go!

Easter Eggs Become Quilt Inspiration

Easter passed by in a scary blur of work combined with more work. But I did have some time to play around and color Easter eggs for the Easter lunch at our friends house. I was in charge of deviled eggs among other things, so I ended up spicing them up a little with fancy patterns. Found the tutorial for them here, very easy to do and such a fancy result.

I felt that the combo of yellow-green, dark blue and white in that bowl was so pretty that I just had to go and pick out fabrics for a quilt in the same color scheme! It's for a baby quilt I'm planing on doing. =D Inspiration comes from the weirdest places doesn't it? Had some help from my trusty sewing student Tova with the choices, she's been here and sewed her final item for year 9 which I will blog about shortly.

It was an amazing feeling! This was the first time I've ever been able to choose all the fabrics for a quilt from my stash, and I've never been so excited! Such an awesome thing that I immediately decided to gift myself an increase in my Stash Stack Club subscription to 12 FQ each month as my birthday present this year =D