Book Review: Glorious Embellishing with Gloria McKinnon

Sewing and crafting books are one of my favorite pieces of reading material.  I could flip through sewing books time after time and never get bored with them.  I find these books to be so inspiring and a wonderful resource for learning new tricks and techniques.   Most nights, before I fall asleep, I am looking at some sort of sewing / crafting magazine or book - it's just a great way to end the day!

I was recently sent a copy of a fabulous new book from the publishers of Sew Beautiful and Martha Pullen for my review and I am thrilled to share this new publication with you all............

Glorious Embellishing with Gloria McKinnon

The Ultimate Resource for Decorative Stitching and Beading

Have you ever been interested in embroidery or hand embellishing?  "Glorious Embellishing" with Gloria McKinnon includes seven different detail oriented projects in the first half of the book and then includes an invaluable embroidery stitch library in the second part of the book.  The projects are truly delicate works of art and are pieces that will be cherished for a lifetime.

 

Many of the projects include instructions on the piecing of fabric and then finish with the elaborate embellishing stitches that can be used.  The projects are meant to be inspiration and you really can make them into your own works of art.  The vintage women (seen in the project above) are included in the book so that you can put them on fabric transfer paper and use as part of your creation.

I am a big visual learner so I love all the illustrations that come with the embroidery stitch library.  They are very clear and easy to understand, especially for a novice when it comes to hand embroidery.  Most stitches start off showing you the most basic version and then go into more and more advance techniques.  The author also shows you how to add things such as beading or silk ribbons into your embroidery embellishment techniques.

Even if some of the projects are not necessarily your style, they can be adapted and made your own.  And again, I have to say that the embroidery stitch library in this book is like none I have ever seen.  I have always wanted to get more into embroidery and I think this book might be the push I need to make that happen.

If you are interested in reading more about "Glorious Embellishing with Gloria McKinnon", please visit the Martha Pullen Store where you can purchase this book as well as many other sewing and craft resources.

Freshcut Quilt { Machine Quilting }

A long time ago, when I first started this blog, I shared a quilt that I had made for my daugther, Savannah's room before the arrival of her baby sister, Matilda.  Well, in looking back and those pictures.........let's just say, they were less than attractive.

So I took some time to take some somewhat better shots of the quilt I made for Miss Savannah Rose.  It's the only really large quilt I've ever made (twin sized) and I will be forever proud of it!

I made this quilt out of Heather Bailey's, "Freshcut" fabric line, which has since gone out of print.  I used a fat quarter set and a jelly roll for this twin sized quilt.  I cut the fat quarters up into smaller squares and cut the jelly roll strips down as well.  In retrospect, had I known more about quilting, a "layer cake" would have been more appropriate and easier to use for the large squares.  But live and learn, right?

I pieced together the entire top of the quilt, but then I sent it to a quilt shop to have it machine quilted.  If you've never had anything machine quilted, it's a pretty fun thing to do.  A lot of local quilt shops or quilters have what's called a "long-arm" quilting machine and you can pick any pattern you'd like from their designs and have your quilt top quilted.

Generally when you send something to be machine quilted, you will send your finished quilt top, your quilt backing, which should already be pieced together, and sometimes you send your batting.  Some shops provide batting that you can purchase and others do not.  Also, if you want the shop to do the binding for you, they usually will, but you need to send additional yardage for the binding strips.

I spent so much time piecing together the top that I decided I didn't want to mess it up by quilting it myself.  I also wanted this quilt to be an heirloom piece that Savannah will keep forever.  Maybe, just maybe, I will quilt my own large quilt someday, but for now, I like to do the piecing and have the machine do the quilting!

From Grandma with Love.....Cowgirl Princess Quilts and Ruffle Pillows

I love my mom.  I know I've told you all that before, but she really is the best!  So thoughtful, kind, understanding, a good listener and I could go on and on, but I know she reads the blog and I don't want her to get a big head or anything.

She has really been taking a lot of time lately sewing some fun things for my girls and I just had to share her most recent creation with you.

My mom lives in Texas and she said that when she found this Cowgirl Princess fabric she knew she MUST make these quilts for the girls.  

Isn't that fabric just adorable?

Mom made both Savannah and Matilda each a Cowgirl Princess quilt and a matching ruffle pillows.  I love the piecing and framing she did around the border of the quilt.  It really makes the fun cowgirl princess fabric stand out in the middle.

My mom quilted the center fabric with what she calls her "lasso" technique.  She used her free motion quilting foot to make the stitching look like little lassos.  She said she thought something was missing when she finished the quilts so she went back around the center panel with this decorative scallop stitch.  Genius!  I've used this same stitch on the edging of dresses, but would never have thought to use it on a quilt.

The pillows are adorable and are perfect size for little toddlers.  Because she made the pillowcases smaller, she also made an interior pillow to fit inside each case.  My daughter, Matilda, refuses to sleep with any other pillow right now.  This is the one she loves.

I love handmade gifts and I love that my mom takes so much time to make fun things for my girls.  And honestly, even though my little ladies are young, they really appreciate handmade.  They love getting things from Grandma and tell anyone who will listen all about the fun things that have been made for them.

Thanks for the adorable Cowgirl Princess quilts and pillow sets for the girls.  They love them and we love you!  Yeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaw!!!

PS:  Since I took these pictures, we have since received the most adorable cherry picnic dresses from my mom - I can't wait to share those with you next!

International Quilt Market - Spring 2011

If any of you follow along on Facebook or Twitter, you know that I just returned from International Quilt Market in Salt Lake City, Utah.  It was an amazing, inspiring trip, but boy am I tired!

If you are not familiar with International Quilt Market, it is basically a trade show for quilt shops and manufacturers.  There is a Quilt Market twice a year that is not open to the public (just to those in the trade) and then there is a Quilt Festival twice a year that is open to everyone. 

At quilt market there are tons of booths displaying all there newest and greatest products.  The fabric designers and manufacturers are there presenting their new lines, there are quilt, handbag and clothing pattern designers, button dealers, as well as trim, thread, interfacing and quilting batting manufacturers.  You can also check out the latest new gadgets such as the "Slice" fabric cutting machine and many, many more new products.

My mom and I met in Salt Lake City.  She flew in from Houston, Texas and I flew in from Chicago, IL.  So we got to spend an entire three days together, which is very rare these days living in different parts of the county.  I did have to leave my two girls and hubby behind, but we got a ton accomplished so it was definitely worth it.

See those fun "The Cottage Mama" bags we are carrying?  Well, I ordered those through an etsy shop called "Bag Full of Posies".  The bags are made of jute and Kellie, the owner, will print any text you would like on the bag and then adds the rosette flowers.  She coordinated our bags to match my business card.  We got lots of compliments and it made it very easy for people to know who we were. 

Sample Spree

 Seven Islands - Japanese Import Fabric

All purchases made at Quilt Market are at wholesale pricing (which means large quantities as well).  But the night before the market opens, they have what's called a "Sample Spree" where those that are attending market can purchase smaller bundles of fabrics, notions and patterns at wholesale pricing.

 Art Gallery Fabrics

I had heard that the sample spree can be a little nuts, but they weren't kidding.  Apparently people were lining up to go in four hours prior to it opening.  My mom and I weren't that nutty, but we did get there an hour ahead and were way far back in line.

While we were waiting in line, I met Kari from Ucreate.  I adore her blog and she saw "The Cottage Mama" on my bag and came up and introduced herself.  She and I got along great and spent even more time talking at the blogger's meetup that occurred on Saturday night (see post HERE for more info on the meetup).  We could definitely be friends if we didn't live so far away!  I didn't take any pictures at the meetup, but there are many shots on the Blogger's Meetup page.

 Moda

It's a mad dash inside as people are rushing around to grab bundles of fabric before they are sold out.  We weren't looking for anything particular at the sample spree, so it was just fun to take it all in.  The Moda table was the busiest by far since they carry the most bundles and cuts of fabric.   

Quilt Market

Seven Islands Booth

For the next two full days, Mom and I walked around meeting different designers and setting up our accounts with the different fabric and trim manufacturers.  There was something like 1000 booths there, so it was definitely sensory overload.  We tried to stay really focused and managed to get most everything accomplished.

Amy Butler and I

One of the first designers I set out to meet was Amy Butler.  I just love her fabric (notice the belt around my waist......that's from her "Love" fabric line).  She was so sweet and just a truly genuine person.  She offered me some really great advice in regards to my pattern design and seemed so happy to be there.  Loved her!

 Joel and Laurie Dewberry

Next we met Joel and Laurie Dewberry.  Their booth was simply gorgeous and their new "Heirloom" line is to-die-for.  They were the sweetest couple and I think it's adorable that they are a husband and wife team.  It really felt like you were entering an upscale boutique when you entered their booth.

Anna Maria Horner

We stopped by and met Anna Maria Horner.  She has a beautiful new, eclectic line of fabric coming out.  She also seems to be doing a lot with embroidery and hand-quilting which was really pretty to see.

Westminster Fibers

The picture above is the Westminster Fibers booth.  When you order fabrics at market you don't order through the designers, you order through their manufacturer (such as Westminster Fibers).  You set appointments with different reps. and go through all the upcoming lines and place your orders.

Oh, and Kay Whitt, author of "Sew Serendipity" and an amazing pattern designer (Serendipity Studio), was just a doll.  Talk about a good soul.  She shared so much insider information with me about pattern design and could not have been any nicer.  She was truly a breath of fresh air and I feel so blessed to have met her and I'm very thankful for the time she spent with me. 

See the book she's holding?  Well, she signed a copy of it for you guys and I brought it back and will be giving it away on the blog.  It's fabulous, so stay tuned for that post!

Sarah Jane Studios

And one of my new favorite designers is Sarah Jane Studios.  She and I could definitely be friends.  She was so sweet and I love the concept behind her new line.  Will you believe me when I tell you that I ordered 10 bolts of fabric from this line? Yes. I. Did.  It is just too sweet to pass up!  Plus it had some adorable little boy prints which can be tough to find.

Riley Blake

How neat is this giant fabric wrapped tree at the Riley Blake booth?  Some of the most fun parts of quilt market is checking out all the creative booth displays.  It's amazing what some of these people come up with!

Art Gallery Fabrics

Art Gallery fabrics had a gorgeous booth display.  The white background really helped all their vibrant colors to pop.  Their upcoming fall lines are amazingly beautiful and Pat Bravo (Art Gallery designer) was so fun and we had a nice chat with her.

So my spring International Quilt Market experience was a great one.  I feel like I made some wonderful connections to some truly great people and really feel up to date with what is going on in the current fabric market.

I'll have to do another post showing you some of the goodies that I brought back with me, but for now, I'm sure you've seen enough.  I came back with some pretty fabrics, trims and buttons, but the really exciting part is the 35 bolts of fabric that I have coming to my house - yippee!!  I feel like I barely took any pictures - this is probably only a tenth of what we saw, but I hope I gave you a good enough insiders look into the market experience.

I'm so glad to be home and I'm really looking forward to sharing what is a new chapter of my business, Children's Sewing Pattern Design!  Lots of exciting things happening over the next several months.  Thanks for joining me on this ride!!

Weekend Sewing

First off, if you haven't gone over to Project Run and Play to vote this week, would you mind heading over there and voting for #3 "Lindsay's Girly Girl Twirl Dress"?  I usually ask you guys to vote for your favorite look, but this week I need your help! 

This was a particularly hard challenge for me (I'm not much into current women's fashion trends).  We are definitely at risk for being eliminated and the next week is the vintage-inspired challenge which I know I can rock!!  So, if you all would please, pretty please, head over and vote, I would be so grateful!  Voting is only open until midnight tonight.

Click HERE to visit Project Run and Play!

This weekend I decided to take a little time to do some sewing for myself and my family.  I started my very first string-block quilt and these are my first four squares.

For those of you that sew a lot of clothing, you know how many scraps you end up having left over.  I thought this quilt would be perfect for using up all those skinny little scraps that I can't bare to throw away.  Plus, I love the eclectic look of all the different pretty fabrics.

 

A string block quilt has a "constant" strip of fabric that is sewn down the middle on the diagonal that is usually some type of solid color.  I chose to use white.  When all of the blocks are arranged the "constant" ends up making a diamond shape.  Pretty neat, huh?

In the picture above, you can see how the thin white strip forms a diamond when four blocks are placed together.  I plan on this quilt taking me a very long time, but I love that I am using my scraps and I know it will be gorgeous when it is all finished.

I also decided to sew a quick peasant style dress for my daughter Savannah.  I used the pattern that was given to us during the last Leila and BenProject Run and Play Challenge (the Sweet Dress pattern).  I actually sewed the pattern the way it was instructed this time.

This dress pattern took me about 45 minutes to get sewn (garment label and all!).  I would say if you are a beginner it might take about an hour and a half, but no more than that.  It's super-simple and only has two pattern pieces to cut! I would highly recommend this pattern to any new sewer that is looking to start to make children's clothing.

The only thing I did different with the pattern was to add the ruffle detail down the front.  I think this is going to be a great little dress for spring/summer.  And what I really love about this pattern is that Savannah will be able to continue to wear this as a top when she gets taller - gotta love that!

I hope you all had a great weekend!

Cottage Mama's Note:  The fabric used for the peasant dress is Heather Bailey's Pop Garden - Rose Bouquet - Emerald.

Sugar Pop Charm Square Quilt

I am not a quilter.  Seriously.  I have made one other quilt in my life.  It was a pretty elaborate quilt for my daughter Savannah's big girl room from designer Heather Bailey's "Freshcut" line.  I spent so much time piecing the top of this twin-size quilt that I decided I didn't need to mess it up with the quilting, so I sent it out to be machine quilted by a professional.

I have seen a lot of quilting popping up during this holiday season and was inspired by Anna's "Sherbert Pips Quilt" she made for her daughter and Rae's most recent "Storytime Squares Quilt".   I think it's always good to try new things......so quilting it is!

The first problem I have with quilting is that I'm not the most patient person.  Granted, I have come along way since having children, but I think that is why I love sewing clothing.  I can come up with a design in my head and three hours later, it's out of my head and a finished garment.  But I am continually working on my weaknesses, so I thought a little quilting would be good for me.

Here is the Sugar Pop Charm Square Quilt that I made for my daughter youngest daughter Matilda for Christmas:

I used two packs of charm squares for this quilt.  Charm squares are precut 5" x 5" squares of fabric.  There are typically 42 squares in each charm square pack and you will sometimes hear these sets referred to as "precuts".  Charm squares can be used for many different things such as patchwork skirts, dresses, table runners, baby doll quilts, scarfs or just about anything where you are looking for some patchwork.  They are also a great way to see all the prints in a line of fabric without committing to a whole yard of something.

There are other forms of "precuts" such as layer cakes (10" x 10" squares), jelly rolls (long strips of precut fabric), and fat quarter sets (1/4 yard cuts of fabric).

With my lack of patience, using precuts for quilting makes this a much quicker project as opposed to cutting all the pieces myself.  Plus it's so fun to use all the different prints from one line!

When independent fabric designer, Liz Scott, released her "Sugar Pop" line for Moda, I knew I had to have it!  Liz Scott is a fabulous designer and prior to this release her designs could be purchased through Spoonflower at a very pretty penny.  Having her do a line through Moda helped her designs become more affordable for the masses. 

Whenever I am making things for my girls, I always try to make sure I choose fabrics that they will enjoy now and will carry on into their teen or adult years.  I think the bright pops of color and florals are great for my little Matilda right now, but I think a teen girl would equally enjoy this quilt.

I attached my clothing label to the front of this quilt so Miss Matilda will always know that her mama made this quilt for her with love.

I used my walking foot to do the quilting and did 1" spaces between the lines on the diagonal.  I used pink thread for the quilting and quilters 80/20 for the batting.

The quilt is backed in a pink solid flannel and the binding is done in a soft yellow.  To make the binding go a bit quicker, I stitched it on with my machine rather than sewing it by hand.

Matilda is only 17-months old, so is she really going to love this quilt now?  Probably not quite yet.  But I always feel like she gets the short-end of the stick when it comes to new toys or clothes or really anything since she is the second child and a second girl at that (even though we try so hard not to).  So I wanted to do something special for her this Christmas - something that was just for her!

Quilting is definitely something I have always wanted to try.  Did I get hit by the quilting bug?  Um, well, I don't think so.  I'm still a clothing designer at heart, but it was really fun trying something new.  And it definitely gave me new appreciation for the time and energy that goes into a truly beautiful quilt!