"How to Fussy Cut" for Paper Piecing Video

When I was at Quilt Market in November, 

Jenny from Martingale took a "how to" video - "How to Fussy Cut your Block".

You can find the video [HERE] starring my hands!  : )

I have full instructions in my book "Super Cute Paper Piecing" but it is always nice to see 

someone in action!

Enjoy!

Happy Sewing

xo

Charise

Purse Clasp Book Sew Along

I am a sucker for a good sew along.  Even though I know I shouldn't start any new projects I could not resist the Purse Clasp Book Sew Along Hosted by Elise and Emelie

The Sew Along runs for four weeks starting February 19th and you can find all the details [HERE]

I purchased the book a while ago and this was just the push I needed to make some clasp purses.

I have made 'sew in' clasp purses but never the glue in type.  It was a lot easier than I thought. 

This Strawberry purse in tiny at just 2 1/4" tall.  

I used the strawberry pattern from my book Super Cute Paper Piecing.

The back of the purse uses a print from the 30's collection by Atsuko Matsuyama.

The red gingham is Carolina gingham from Robert Kaufmann Fabrics.

I made two nine patch blocks that will also become a clasp purse.

The instruction to make at the block can be found [HERE]

I also make this tiny dress with the pattern from my book "Super Cute Paper Piecing" for another clasp purse.

The original pattern was reduced to 45%.

The back of the purse will have that adorable Suzuko Koseki Fashion Print.

If you are on Instagram, be sure to tag your pics of any clasp purses you make with the hashtag #purseclaspbooksal

Happy Sewing

xo

Charise  

Scrappy Patchwork Coaster Tutorial

Happy Friday!

I created a tutorial for Scrappy Patchwork Coasters.

There is a 9 patch version that uses 2" squares.

There is also a 16 patch version which uses 1 1/2" squares.

This project is perfect if you want to use up some of your scraps.

I like to make my own bias tape which I think adds a nice touch.  It is really quite easy to make.

If you'd like to try making bias tape, you can find a tutorial [HERE]

You can find the Scrappy Patchwork Coaster Tutorial [HERE]

Enjoy!

Happy Sewing

xo

Charise

Fussy Cut Heart Pouch

I think I have a problem -  I can't stop making pouches!

My fussy cut heart is the perfect size for my Splendid Notions Pouch so of course I had to make a pouch.

You can find my Fussy Cut Heart Pattern [HERE]

I used a 6" finished Farmer's Wife block for the flip side.

This one is very special and you can read more about it [HERE]

The Splendid Notions Pouch pattern can be found [HERE] and you can use any 6" or smaller block.

Enjoy!

xo

Charise

Fussy Cut Heart Mug Rug / Pot Holder Tutorial

I love to make useful items with my paper pieced blocks as you can see in my new book

Super Cute Paper Piecing : )  

I thought my new fussy cut heart pattern would make a cute mug rug.  

I don't know about you, but I always have a drink beside me during these cold winter months!

The Fussy Cut Heart Much rug is 8" square with rounded corners and a fabric look for hanging.

You can also use any orphan 6" blocks you have.  Just add borders to make the block 8" square.

You can find the pattern for the Fussy Cut Heart on Etsy [HERE]

and Craftsy [HERE]

You can find the tutorial for the Mug Rug [HERE]

Happy Sewing!

Xo

Charise

New Patterns in the Shop!

I hope everyone is having a good week!

I have been busy, designing and listing a few new patterns in my Etsy shop.

The first is just in time for Valentine's Day ~ the "Fussy Cut Heart" pattern.

It comes in two sizes - 5 1/2" x 6" and 7 1/4" x 8".

You can find it in my Etsy shop [HERE]

This is such a fun pattern to make.  

I have been gathering all my favorite prints and making heart blocks.

They are addictive to make!

  

These Heart blocks are perfect for a quilt, pouch (you can use the small heart on this pouch!) or a mug rug/coaster.  

I am working on a mug/rug coaster which I will share a tutorial for soon!

The second pattern I have been working on is my "Citrus Pouch".

I designed this for the Liberty Craft Blog which no longer exists.

You can now find it in my Etsy shop [HERE]

This is an intermediate pattern with both foundation paper piecing and curved piecing.

I include instructions on how to do both techniques with full color photos explaining each step.

If you are new to foundation paper piecing, I have resources on my blog {here}

Happy Sewing

xo

Charise

Parfait Quilt from The Cake Mix Quilt Along

I had the great pleasure of making a quilt for The Cake Mix Quilt Along hosted by the Fat Quarter Shop.

The Cake Mix Quilt Along features The Cake Mix Quilt Book: Volume One by It’s Sew Emma!

This Quilt Along features all 16 quilts in The Cake Mix Quilt Book! 

Over 16 weeks,  Fat Quarter Shop will be featuring one quilt from the book each week.

My stop is week 8 and I made the Parfait Quilt.

I decided on a pretty Spring Palette of pinks and corals.

It was a fun make and includes a whopping 160 hourglass blocks and 25 pinwheel blocks.

The quilt was a fun and easy make!

Most of the print fabrics were from my stash but I did decide on that yummy Bubblegum Kona Solid and I couldn't resist the cute fashion print from Bee in my Bonnet by Lori Holt  for the backing.

Be sure to check out the lovely makes from the other quilters on the hop!

And tag your Instagram photos with #fqsquiltalong and #CakeMixMonday so I can see all your fun makes!

Happy Sewing

xo

Charise

• Monday, November 13 – Ginger Bread Quilt by Melissa of Happy Quilting Melissa
• Monday, November 20 – Sherbert Quilt by Melanie of A Bit of Scrap Stuff
• Monday, November 27 – Fondant Quilt by Sinta of Pink Pincushion
• Monday, December 4 – Taffy Quilt by Sondra of Out of the Blue Quilts
• Monday, December 11 – Crème Brulee Quilt by Sherri of A Quilting Life
• Monday, December 18 – Sundae Quilt by Anorina of Samelia’s Mum
• Monday, January 8 – Marzipan Quilt by Amanda of Jedi Craft Girl 
• Monday, January 15 – Parfait Quilt by Charise of Charise Creates
• Monday, January 22 – Banana Split Quilt by Connie of Freemotion by the River 
• Monday, January 29 – Ganache Quilt by Amy of Diary of a Quilter
• Monday, February 5 – Fruitcake Quilt by Sharon of Lilabelle Lane
• Monday, February 12 – Meringue Quilt by Erin of Why Not Sew?
• Monday, February 19 – Buttercream Quilt by Sondra of Out of the Blue Quilts
• Monday, February 26 – Tiramisu Quilt by Jennie of Porch Swing Quilts
• Monday, March 5 – Cheesecake Quilt by Anorina of Samelia’s Mum
• Monday, March 12 – Petit Four Quilt by Seema of Hooks, Needles and Brushes

Happy New Year!

Charise Creates 2017BestNine on Instagram

It is hard to believe that 2017 is almost over.

A good but also tough year that included moving back into our house after a 13 month remodel,  the release of my first book "Super Cute Paper Piecing" and the crazy politics and terrible natural disasters that occurred in the United States.  

Here is to a less turbulent 2018.  Cheers!

Last year I chose the word "Listen" as my mantra for the year. 

I'm not sure if I did very well but I am trying to be a better listener : )

I'm not sure what this year's word will be.....

I can think of a million things to work on - patience, peace - the list is long!

I thought it would be fun to share some of the projects I completed over the year.

The photo above is my Best Nine (most liked) photos on Instagram.

They are mostly images from my book : )

I also made a collage of all the projects in my book as well as some

new projects I made from my book.

The top row pictures are all new items I made in the past month.

From Left to Right:

1)   Umbrella pouch using the Vintage Apron Zip Pouch Pattern and the Umbrella paper piecing         pattern from Super Cute Paper Piecing.

2)   Daisy Pincushion using the Daisy Bowl pattern from Super Cute Paper Piecing.

      Tutorial for the pincushion can be found [HERE]

3)   Vintage Dresses Pattern from Super Cute Paper Piecing.

4)   Macaroon Pouch using the Strawberries pattern from Super Cute Paper Piecing.

I have spent most of my day cleaning my sewing room - it feels good - like a fresh start!

This little corner makes me very happy : )

Happy Sewing!

xo

Charise

Spelling Bee Saturday

Today is Spelling Bee Saturday!

Lori Holt of Bee in My Bonnet wrote the cutest quilting book - "Spelling Bee".

It includes a complete alphabet, picture blocks, quilts and mini quilts.

For my stop, I am sharing the letter "i"

I decided I would make my son's name Liam to add to Lori's adorable Name Quilt.

He is 14 years old, so as you can see, the color palette is not my usual cheerful cherry red, sunny yellow and aqua, but a very masculine black and grey : )

My goal is to finish before Chrismas!!!!

Wish me luck!

Be sure to check out all the fun blocks.  

There is a complete list on the Fat Quarter Shop Blog.

Happy Sewing!

Charise

Umbrella Pouch ~ from "Super Cute Paper Piecing"

This fun umbrella pouch pattern is from my new book "Super Cute Paper Piecing!"  I used the Vintage apron pouch pattern and the paper pieced Umbrella from my "Rain, Rain, go away purse" as the focal block.

The blocks in "Super Cute Paper Piecing" are interchangeable and can be used on different projects.

I love how it turned out.

It will be a great Christmas gift filled with some goodies!

The background fabric is Robert Kaufmann Essex Linen in color Steel.

The yellow/pink floral print on the umbrella is also Robert Kaufmann -  "Pretty Posies" by Darlene Zimmerman.

The tiny pink grid print is "Retro 30's Child Smile" by Lecien, 

and the text print is "Flower Patch" by Lori Holt for Riley Blake Fabrics.
You can find most of these fabrics at Fat Quarter Shop.
Another great place to find older or out of print fabrics is on Etsy.

I found this cute zipper pull on Etsy.  Such a fun way to add a special touch to your pouch.

Happy Sewing! 

xo

Charise

Daisy Pincushion Tutorial

Hello and Happy Monday!

My book "Super Cute Paper Piecing" is now in stores and available online !

I also have a limited number of signed copies in my Etsy shop.

I created a tutorial/pattern from one of the patterns in my book.  This cute pincushion is made from the Daisy Bowl pattern in my book.

It would make a fun gift!

You can find the tutorial and pattern [HERE] 

The Daisy is paper pieced and I had fun fussy cutting the petals.

The background fabric is yarn dyed Essex Linen in color Flax.

My favorite places to find fun fabrics are Sew Me a Song on Etsy, Sunny Day Supply, Pink Castle Fabrics and Fat Quarter Shop.

And of course, I always try to support my local fabric stores : )

I filled the pincushion with a bit of fiber fill to give the corners a nice shape and then added ground walnut shells for weight and some lavender buds to add a light scent.

Have a lovely day!

Happy Sewing

xo

Charise

Cyber Monday sale in my Etsy Shop

Hope you are having a good Monday!

The Holiday Season has begun at the Randell house.  We had a busy weekend filled with Christmas tree cutting and a Santa Photo!  I told my 14 year old son that he has to have photos taken with Santa until he moves out!!!! : )

I have a long list of Holiday Sewing and will get to that soon after writing this blog post and cleaning up my sewing room : )

I am having a sale in my Etsy shop today and tomorrow November 27th and 28th.  15% off of everything in the shop.  I have listed a limited number of signed "Super Cute Paper Piecing" books which have lots of cute projects for Holiday gift sewing.  They also make great gifts!

Happy Sewing!

xo

Charise

Rain, Rain Go Away Purse in "Super Cute Paper Piecing"

Happy Thursday to you and also to those in the United States - Happy Thanksgiving!

My book has been released on Amazon and a few friends and family let me know they received it yesterday!  They are very sweet -  buying a book to support a friend : )

I am a very lucky gal to have such sweet friends and family!

Today I am going to share a fun project from the book - the "Rain, Rain, Go Away" purse.

I love this project and I think it is because of the colors.  

I am partial to the combination of blue and yellow!

It is a nice and roomy purse - 15" x 15 1/2" and has an inside pocket.

The straps are long enough that you can carry it cross body.

It would be great for a project bag  - totally big enough for a knitting project.

I have been working on another version.  The umbrella block fits perfectly on  the zipper pouch from the Vintage Apron Zipper pouch. 

I have finished the umbrella block and hopefully will find a bit of time to make the zipper pouch.

I found the cute little umbrella charm on Etsy.  It is a great place to find fun charms to add to your zippers.

Wishing you a lovely time with family and friends.

Happy Sewing!

xo

Charise

Vintage Apron Pouch in "Super Cute Paper Piecing"

The Vintage Apron Pouch is one of my favorite projects in my new book "Super Cute Paper Piecing."

It is a perfect size to transport small sewing projects and also great for a larger make-up or toiletries bag.

The front top panel is about 6 1/2" wide x 9 1/2" tall so most of the paper pieced blocks in the book would fit perfectly on this fun zipper pouch!

A fun way to personalize your pouch is to add a zipper pull.

This apple zipper pull was found  at a local jewelry supply store.

Michael's and Joann Fabrics have a nice selection of charms and zipper pulls that can be purchased online.

A few of my favorite online stores carry adorable fabric as well as cute zipper pulls are SunnyDaySupply.com , Deltapatchwork.com and  SuperBuzzy.com

Another great place to find zipper charms is on Etsy.com  

Just type in "charms" or "zipper pulls" and you will be amazed at the selection!

I have quite a collection I've amassed over the years : )

Don't forget, all the info about my book can be found on my blog [HERE]

Happy Sewing!

xo

Charise

Macaroon Pouch in Two Sizes

I had some requests to make a smaller version of my Macaroon Pouch Pattern and I listed the new pattern today!  You can find it in my Etsy Shop.

The Large version is 11" x 8 1/4" and the -new- Small version is 8 1/2" x 6 1/2".   

 Don't you just love the zipper on the smaller version?  I got mine from a friend but you can find them at Sunny Day Supply!

They are the perfect size for the Small Macaroon Pouch.

I couldn't resist making a version of the pouch with a paper pieced motif.

The strawberries can be found in my new book "Super Cute Paper Piecing"!

Another fun way to customize your pouch is to add some hand topstitching.  I used a pretty red embroidery floss to frame the center of the pouch.

Happy Sewing

xo

Charise