Prim fabric in my Dress Boutique pattern

Hello!  I hope you are getting some sewing time in : )

I have been working on this fun paper pieced pattern!

 

 I used the new line of fabric "Prim" designed by Lori Holt for Riley Blake Designs. for my new "Dress Boutique" pattern.

I absolutely love this line!  The prints are very small scale and lend themselves to paper piecing patterns.

I just love that teeny tiny flower on the fabric spool on the sewing machine : )

The fussy cut window and door prints are from "My Happy Place" also designed for Riley Blake Designs by Lori Holt.  

My Dress Boutique pattern finished at 12" x 18".  It would make a perfect mini quilt.

You can find the pattern in my Etsy shop

If you use Prim in a project be sure to use the following hashtags in your social media posts

#ILoveRileyBlake

#RileyBlakedesigns

#PrimFabric

I love to see what you make

Happy Sewing!

xo

Charise

A new project

Hi Peeps

I have been woefully absent here and I plan to make more time for this space.

I just finished a 4 month design contract at a local Seattle clothing company so I haven't spent much time in my studio.

My goal this week is to create a schedule for myself ( I definitely get more done with a bit of structure! )

Getting to the gym, creating home cooked meals and spending time with my boys as well as sewing daily is on my list of to dos for the upcoming months!

I spent a bit of time organizing files on my computer and found this gorgeous pattern designed by Lady Harvatine.   She created it for the LA Modern Quilt Guild.

The fabrics are from Art Gallery fabrics - "Sonata" by Amy Sinabaldi.  I adore this fabric line and treated myself to a FQ set.

I hope you find time to do something you love today.

Happy Sewing

xo

Charise : )

The Fussy Cut Sampler Quilt Along

I cannot resist a fun new project - especially a sew or quilt along!

When I saw the blocks appearing on Instagram for The Fussy Cut Samper Quilt Along I knew I had to join in!

I ordered the book, it never arrived, and then ordered it again!

So I am a bit behind.......

My blocks start with week 3 and I will catch up making the blocks for week 1 and 2 when I get a chance : )

If you are reading this then you are probably familiar with my work : )  

I love to fussy cut motifs and think it adds such a special element to my projects.

The book is broken down by techniques and is an excellent way to learn

some new techniques for fussy cutting.

You can find more info at TheFussyCutSampler.com

If you are on Instagram, also look for the hashtag #TheFussyCutSamplerQAL

Happy Sewing

xo

Charise

Consoling myself.....

Yesterday I was planning and scheming ways to get to Quilt Market which just happens to be in Portland Oregon which is just a 3-4 hour drive from Seattle.  I received an email from Becca and another from Amber who both live on the East Coast asking me if I was going to be there. They are both the absolutely loveliest ladies and I was so excited to meet them but I told them I couldn't - kids, scheduled activities, etc - then I spoke with my hubby who said "you should go".  So yesterday after picking up the boys from school I was heading home to send the ladies emails saying "I'm coming to Quilt Market and can't wait to meet you in person!".

When I picked up my youngest son, he said he wasn't feeling well and what do you know  -  he had a temp of 102 degrees.  Plans for quilt market dashed : (

So to console myself today, I, finally, after about a year of owning it, put up a design wall.  It is just a vinyl grid with fuzzy fabric on one side and large grommets on the top -  I think I bought it at Joann Fabrics.  Armed with the drill and some cup hooks I now have a design wall.  I'm pretty darn excited. 

I hope to meet the ladies someday soon, though I'll have to say I feel fortunate to be able to make a little sick guy feel better : )

xo
Charise

Liberty Past and Present

Seems I have been seeing lots of lovely Liberty fabric projects popping up.  Kerry made this lovely tea set for the Liberty Cafe  - how cool is that?  Leila made an absolutely adorable frame pouch.

I thought I would share my past experience with Liberty Fabrics.  You may or may not know this, but I have been a fashion designer for the past 23 years.  I have taken the past few years away from my career to spend time with my youngest son who goes to Kindergarten in the Fall. 

Way back when in 1999 : )  I worked as the women's woven designer for Nordstrom's Evergreen, now Halogen, line of women's clothing.  It was a wonderful job.  Halogen was a new line for Nordstrom and I was the first of two designers.  Those of you who are familiar with Nordstrom may know a bit about the different departments. At the time, Halogen was to sit in the Savvy department at Nordstrom.  The Savvy department houses young, fresh, higher end fashion.  I was lucky enough to travel to Europe for design inspiration, work with factories in Italy and even more exciting, to shop the most wonderful fabric show - Premiére Vision -  outside Paris!  We purchased fabulous Europen fabrics and that is where the connection comes to Liberty Fabrics.  I chose Liberty lawn for this little top I designed, bottom right.

I even still have the swatch booklet from the 1999 Liberty Fabrics line.

Can you tell it is well loved?  It has been travelling with me for the past 13 years : )
I love to open it and admire all the wonderful designs.

Someday I'll muster the courage to cut into it........

So... all that being said, and thanks for listening, but I couldn't resist this F8 pack of Liberty from Pink Chalk fabrics!!  I think I'll make the Rose Dream block into a zip pouch.

 

xo

Charise

Have you seen this?

The Workroom had a photo of this on Flickr. 

 

I have soooo many projects in the works but I just had to buy the pattern.  You can get it as an instant download PDF.  The details are just amazing and I'm torn as to whether to make the top or dress! 

Or maybe the dress with the bishop sleeves.  The placket is bias cut stripes and I think it is an absolute genius detail.  It reminds me of something I would find at Anthropologie, my absolute favorite shop!!

The Victory website is here and she has many more adorable patterns!!

I made another Rose Dreams Block.  I just love this block!!

Thank you everyone for your comments about a Vintage Block Quilt Along.  I'm definitely going to start in the Fall when my little boys are in school.  It will be a block a month, no stress, no pressure.  Make an entire quilt or use the patterns for a bee block or any quilty project you can think of.

Have a lovely day!

xo

Charise