Give Away!

Hello and Happy Friday!

I'm going to do a little give-away to celebrate my two newest patterns!

"In the Studio - My Featherweight"

and "In the Kitchen - Grandmother's Apron"

Becca from Sew Me a Song has donated this wonderful FQ stack from Pam Kitty Picnic.

I love this line and can't wait to sew "Grandmother's Apron" with it!

Just leave a comment below telling me what is first on your "to do" list for sewing.

I am working on the pattern for my Anna Blouse.  

I've decided to offer a second version with cap sleeves, so I am working on the details: )

I've also been working on my Jam Jars and Fruit Pattern. I have lots of versions and a few items I'm making with the pattern.  I can't wait to share it with you!

I will pick a winner Wednesday April 3rd.  Comments are open until Tuesday April 2nd at midnight Pacific Standard Time.

Have a lovely evening!

xo

Charise

Vintage Block Quilt Along ~ Spring Butterfly ~ Block #11

Happy Spring!  We have had a few sunny days here in Seattle.  I actually spent some much needed time in the garden!  I love this time of year ~ seeing the beginnings of new life and my garden coming to life.

  I made four butterfly quilts blocks for my quilt - one for each corner.  Two of the blocks are reversed so that all the butterflies are traveling towards the center of the quilt.  
The blocks are fast and easy to put together once you get all the pieces cut out.


Spring Butterfly Pattern

                   

12” finished / 12 ½” unfinished Block

The butterfly measures approximately 6 3/4" x 7 1/4"

Find the pattern Here

~A few tips ~ 

*Read through all the instructions before proceeding.

*Start with a sharp new sewing machine needle.

*For best results, print the pattern templates onto card stock 

Fabric for one block:

~ Background Fabric - approximately 1/3 yard

~ Grey Fabric - Large Scrap or F8

~ Print Fabric - Large Scrap or F8

~ Coordinating Print Fabric - Large Scrap or F8

Fabric for four blocks:
~background fabric - approximately 3/4 yard
~Pink Fabric - F8 or large scraps
~Pink Fabric - coordinating print -F8 or large scraps
~Yellow Fabric - F8 or large scraps
~Yellow Fabric - coordinating print -F8 or large scraps
~Blue Fabric - F8 or large scraps
~Blue Fabric - coordinating print -F8 or large scraps

~Red Fabric - F8 or large scraps
~Red Fabric - coordinating print -F8 or large scraps
~Grey Fabric - F8

Other Supplies  

~ Cardstock

~ Fine Sewing Pins ~ my favorites are these from Clover which are .45 mm

~ Chalk for marking ~ I like Clover Triangle Tailor’s Chalk or Clover Chalko liner

~ Matching Thread
~ Black embroidery Floss (optional)
~ Hand sewing embroidery needle (optional)

Cut   

Cut A1 from Grey text fabric

Cut B1 and D1 from the same print fabric

Cut C1 from a coordinating print fabric

Cut A2, A3, B2, B3, C2, D2 and D3 from background fabric

** If you are making four blocks for your quilt, flip the pattern when marking the fabric for two of the blocks**

~Sewing Instructions~  

***Tip ~ Stitching curves ~ Showing C1 stitched to C2***

 Fold the fabric piece right sides together and mark the center point with a crease.

 Showing the fabric unfolded and the crease marked

Place right sides together matching center crease.  Pin in place.  Place pins at each edge.
Stitch the seams with the concave piece facing you.

1) Stitch A, B, C, and D together separately.

2) Stitch B, C and D together.

3) Stitch A to B/C/D.  True up your block.

4) Stitch a 2 3/4” x 8” strip to each vertical side (sides).  Press. Trim top edges.

5) Stitch a 3” x 12 3/4” strip to each horizontal side (top and bottom). Press.

6) Trim the block to 12 1/2”

7) If desired, embroider the antennae to the block using the artwork as a guide.

Yay! Your block is complete!

For the rest of the blocks in the series, check out the Vintage Block Quilt Along Page.

I would love to see your version of this block or any others in the Quilt Along.  Please use the hashtag

#Vintage BlockQuiltAlong
#ChariseCreates
#ChariseCreatesPattern

Spring Butterfly ~ Vintage Block Quilt Along ~ WIP Wednesday

It is a cold and rainy day in Seattle so it has been nice to work on a cheerful project.    Hard to believe that Spring is just one day away!

These butterflies are the 11th block in my Vintage Block Quilt Along.  They are an Alice Brooks pattern and I've decided to make four - one for each corner of the quilt.  They are surprisingly easy to put together!

The pattern is coming soon : )
Find the pattern HERE!

I played around with the quilt layout  and  I'm thinking about adding white sashing with aqua cornerstones.  The quilt needs a bit of order so I thought the butterflies at each corner will be just the ticket.

What are you working on?

Link up over at Freshly Pieced to share your Work(s) in Progress.

xo

Charise

Quilty Fun Blog Hop ~ Flowers ~ and a Give Away!

I am so thrilled to be a part of the Quilty Fun Blog Hop.  Quilty Fun is a wonderful book written by the uber talented Lori Holt.  It is filled with wonderful quilts as well as projects including a cushion, table runner and sewing machine cover.

[Quilt by Lori Holt of Bee in My Bonnet]

The Sew Along is to make the sampler quilt pictured above using Lori Holt's  first book, Quilty Fun. The Sew Along project uses instructions from Quilty Fun, so you will need a book on hand to participate!  You can get your copy at the Fat Quarter Shop. 

To help you with cutting, Fat Quarter shop created a handy PDF companion.  You can find right here.

I had so much fun making the flowers for the blog hop!  They are so easy to put together and just what I needed to brighten a gray day ~ I am ready for Spring and these flower blocks are so Springy!  I used Lori Holt's fabric "Bake Sale" for the Blue flower, and the red flower is "Flower Sugar" by Lecien.  The Stems are from Yuwa Fabrics 30's Collection by Atsuko Mastuyama, the leaves are Glamping by Moda and the Background fabric is Essential Dots by Moda ~ my favorite polka dot fabric!

I am also sharing a give away!  Two winners  will win a 2.5” Rolie Polie of Vintage Happy fabric. 

One winner will win a packet of Alphabitties great for marking your cut fabric stacks when quilting.  

The three winners will be chosen from the pool of submissions on the Flickr group and will be announced on the Jolly Jabber on Monday March 25th.

Be sure to post a picture of your Quilty Fun quilt block(s) in the Flickr group for a chance to win!

Good Luck and Happy Sewing!
xo
Charise

"In the Studio" ~ My Featherweight

[My Featherweight Fabrics: Sewing machine Blue Bow ~ 30's collection by Atsuko Matsuyama, Text Fabric on sewing machine ~ Suzuko Koseki, Pink thread fabric ~ Riley Blake Apple of my Eye, Background Fabric ~ Riley Blake Little Red Riding Hood by Tasha Noel, Red Tablecloth check ~ Flower Sugar by Lecien]

When Erin posted her theme for the Round 2 of the Cocorico paper piecing bee on Flickr,  I was thrilled.  She asked for paper pieced sewing machines.  Well it just so happens.....I designed a Singer Featherweight block almost a year ago. I was so happy to finally have a reason to put the sewing of this pattern at the top of my "to do" list!

I purchased my White 1964 machine for my birthday a few years back.  It is my go to machine for piecing and pretty much everything else I sew.  It is a sturdy little work horse and also so pretty to look at!

The Featherweight pattern is available in my Etsy and Craftsy shops!

Have a lovely day!
xo
Charise

" In the Kitchen " ~ Grandmother's Apron

I'm almost on track this year adding new patterns to my shop!  Yesterday I finished my newest pattern for my "In the Kitchen" series  ~ Grandmother's Apron.  It is actually inspired by a sketch I drew for an actual apron I designed for the "Unofficial Downton Abbey Sews" for Stitch Magazine!  The issue will be available in June : )

I used some of my favorite yellow and red fabrics.  The yellow floral is a Connecting threads print and the fun apple print on the pockets is from Riley Blake.  

You can find Grandmother's Apron in my Etsy and Craftsy shops : )

I think I need to turn all my "in the Kitchen" blocks into a quilt!

Have a lovely evening!

xo

Charise

It all started with the Cocorico Bee : )

[Featherweight Sewing Machine Pattern and Fabric Audition]

About three years ago the lovely Melinda and Lauree invited me to join the Cocorico Paper Piecing Bee on Flickr.  Melinda knew me from the Farmer's Wife Quilt Along on Flickr where I first discovered my love of quilting.  I have made friendships and so admire the talent of the lovely ladies in the bee.

Up until that point I was just starting to do a bit of paper piecing.  I designed a teapot and tea cup but this bee really challenged my skills.

[A few of my Cocorico Bee Blocks]

I designed many blocks for the bee and 

about six months into joining I created the first paper piecing pattern for my Etsy shop.

Over the past few years I have done design work for magazines and books - projects including small quilted and fabric items as well as clothes.  As much as I like this work I have missed designing paper pieced patterns, and other items for my shops, and have really neglected the dream of expanding my small business.  

I have so many ideas, sketches and designs that are so close to being finished...........

[2013 paper piecing patterns]

I did a little recap of my work last year and realized I had designed more than a dozen projects for magazines and only six patterns of my own : (  

Don't get me wrong, I really do love designing but after seeing the numbers I realized it was time to focus more on my vision and my business.

We have resumed the Cocorico Bee and I am so excited to be making a Singer Featherweight sewing machine block for Erin.  You see....I have had the block designed for almost a year (yes, I swear it has been complete for a year!  uggg)  but I put it on the shelf in lieu of the editorial design work.  But no more!!!!

I am so incredibly excited to get back to my passion - designing quilting patterns and clothing and sewing with the talented group of women in the Cocorico Bee!

xo

Charise