What I'm Working On and A New Sponsor!

I've had a sketch of this large hobo style hand bag in my sketch book what seems like forever and am just now working on the pattern and sample!!  Of course I made an error in one of the seam allowances so I spent a good portion of my day ripping and resewing - Ugh : )

 

 

 I love the Melody Miller center print as the fussy cut center panel in this bag!

(i think) The Denyse Schmidt Flea Market fancy is the perfect match with this print.
 

 

 

You can find this fab Melody Miller  Ruby Star Shining print as well as the Denyse Schmidt Flea Market Fancy print in my newest sponsor's shop!!! 

 Becca's shop - "Sew me a Song" is wonderful.  She has an amazing fabric selection.

She carries Japanese and contemporary fabrics as well as some great text prints.

She also got in a selection of Suzuko Koseki prints!

 

If you order the Ruby Star Shining prints from her shop she sells them by the panel - so nice. 

 The motifs are large so you don't have to worry about them getting cut in half!!!!

If you have a Work in Progress, share yours and Link up today over at Freshly Pieced!

 

Happy Sewing!!

xo

Charise

Solids & Precuts Sale

Brenda at Pink Castle Fabrics  is having a sale on all solid fabrics!

Use code SOLID15 for 15% off all solid fabrics through the end of the month.

 She created a great feature in her shop to help you find the exact color you are looking for. 

You can narrow your page view by color.

On the right, click on "solids by color"

and it will give you colors to choose from!

Very cool. 

 

 

 

Brenda also has a sale on all bundles and pre-cuts. 20% off with the code PRECUT20.

 

 

Happy Shopping!!

xo

Charise

  

National Sewing Month

I'm so excited to be a guest on Heather's blog - The Sewing Loft - for The National Sewing Month series - "Favorite Sewing Tools".

Be sure to head on over and check out the post on my favorite tool for paper piecing!

Fine Sewing Pins

My "can't live without" tool for paper piecing are fine sewing pins. I use Clover brand, but as long as they are very fine they will do the job!

Head on over to see how I use fine pins to match my seams!!

xo

Charise

Modern and Vintage Fabric

Today I started a new pattern for a bag/purse I've had in my sketch book for a while.  It is based on a clutch / coin purse I will be sharing very soon.

 I was looking through some fabrics and these two just happened to be in boxes next to each other.

I just love the way the Denyse Schmidt  Flea Market Fancy looks with the Melody Miller Print.  The colors are so perfect for Fall!   I love a happy accident!!

 

 

About a month ago I was browsing Ebay for feed sacks.  I love to do this but try to keep it to a minimum - a very addictive practice!!

I happened upon a seller who had about a dozen separate feedsack lots.  The lots were from four sacks up to 80 something!  I purchased two of the lots -  on the small side. 

 The Ebay seller's pictures were average at best so I wasn't sure exactly what I was getting.  To my surprise they turned out to be  wonderful.  They are 10 lb feedsacks so when the are opened they are about 18" x 24".

 

I've spent the past few days washing them. Many still have their labels attached!

 

 

My plan is to keep a few with the labels on  -  they are really cool.

 

 

This is by far my favorite sack.  The printing is from the label printing.  In the process of printing on the label, it was missed so the lettering made it on to the feed sack!! 

Don't you wish they still sold flour and sugar in fabric feed sacks??

 

xo

Charise

New Shopping Tote and an Old Friend

Hope your end of summer is going well. The weather here in Seattle is beautiful.  High 60's and sunny!

I've had a creative block the past few days with a deadline looming - of course : )  I finally decided to take a little break and work on an unfished project.  The log cabins for this purse were started at least a month ago.

I decided to make a shopping tote from them.

 

 

I've never used this type of handle before. The construction was quite easy! 

Just the perfect size for trips to the fabric store   : )

 

 

Last week I had my Juki industrial sewing machine serviced. (My old friend)   It is not a small feat as the machine can't be moved so I had to wait to have a technician do a house call.  I missed her!!  She is a "high speed 1 needle lock stitch machine".  I purchased her over 20 years ago when I was in design school and needed an at home machine that could handle sewing a pair of jeans!!!  Yes..... that was one of my assignments in design school!

I'm excited to have her working again, though she is fast and will take a little while to get used to! 

 

Have a lovely day!

xo

Charise

Kokka Sale at Pink Castle Fabrics

Brenda at Pink Castle Fabrics is having another fab sale this weekend!!

This weekend she is offering a 25% off coupon for Kokka fabrics - use code KOKKA25.

Here are my fave,s but be sure to click on the link above.  She has lots of great Kokka fabrics including Nursery Versery by Heather Ross.

 

National Sewing Month at The Sewing Loft

September is National Sewing Month and Heather from The Sewing Loft will feature guests that will share their favorite sewing tools. 

Each guest will also share an easy "how to" project using the tool.

It is worth checking daily!! 

 

 On Day 1 there is a post on Quilting Index.  An online resource for quilting patterns.

How cool is that?

 

 

You will also find an adorable paper pieced pattern and a very useful tool for paper piecing - the wooden iron - on Day 2.

 

On Day 3 you will find a quick and easy tutorial for an eco gift wrap bow! Turn an old t-shirt into something really cool.

 

Day 4 features a fun applique project featuring a tool I will be getting for sure!

 

 

I'll see you with my favorite tool on the 25th!!!

 

Happy sewing!

xo

Charise 

Mayhem, Free Piecing and a New Beginning

I know the title of my blog post sounds pretty random but that has been the state of my life in the last 24 hours.

I was up late last night, way too late, working on a free pieced block.  It was such a much needed break from the more precise work I've been doing.  My table ended up looking like this:

It did result in this fun block.  I love making log cabin blocks.  Picking fabrics is the most satisfying!

The pear in the middle is paper pieced.  A block I made a while ago.  Thought it would be fun as the focal point of the block!

 

 

 

So my youngest son started Kindergarten today- hence the New Beginning.  Oh my goodness, I was not expecting the reaction I had - I actually cried!!!  I wasn't expecting to feel that way....I thought I was ready for him to go off into the big wide world!  I think he is ready, but it is just such a big step in his young life.  He is a very busy and energetic little guy which adds to my stress.  Will he be able to sit still?  Will he listen and behave?  Most important - will he like school?  Ugh........I'm sure all will be well when I pick him up in three hours but I can't help but worry......

There he is, among that sea of little heads.  I love him so much......

 

Have a lovely day!

xo

Charise

Pink Castle Fabric Sale

Yikes,  I almost forgot to let you know Pink Castle Fabrics is having a sale.  20% off this Labor Day weekend good until Monday.  Use the code LABOR20.

Brenda just started carrying Yuwa...I'm in love.  Perfect for fussy cutting!
They are quickly selling out.  I need to get over there pronto : ) 

 

Happy Shopping!!

 

August is over, (sniffle)

Ok, where on earth did the summer go?   It was a busy and good one.  I was surprised to see how many projects I actually completed in August.  Two of the projects were for blog hops and two were Bee Blocks.  Seems I work best under pressure!  Lovely Lynne is hosting her Small Blog Hop and Fresh Sewing Day.  Here is my little mosaic of finishes!

(I have to plug PicMonkey which is where I made the mosaic.  It is free and wonderful to use.  You can resize your photos and there are lots of different mosaic shapes!)

We (my boys and I) spent most of August at Colman Pool.  It has become a summer ritual for us.  We didn't have the warmest of summers but the boys didn't seem to mind!  They have both become such good swimmers!! 

It is an outdoor pool and sits on the edge of a point right on Puget Sound.  I can't imagine a better way to spend a day.... swimming with my boys and enjoying the absolutely beautiful vistas of the water and the Ferry boats going by.

I learned a lot this summer - it is so important to enjoy the moment even when you feel you cannot take any more little boy energy and fighting : ) 

I'm going to miss spending so much time with the two of them.......  They are growing up too fast!!!! 

 

Enjoy your weekend!!