Around the World

I will be on a business trip beginning Nov. 28 and will not return to the States until Dec. 8. As you can imagine, I need to take a hiatus from blogging between at least those dates - if not a little longer.

Hope you have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving and start to the Christmas season!

2009 Fall Quilt Market

I watched every one of these videos that PortabelloPixie took at the 2009 Quilt Market. Cannot get enough of looking at the yummy merchandising and getting a sneak peak at what's next.

I especially enjoyed the interview with Anna Maria Horner - she looks just like her daughter. They could totally be sisters. Hope someone says that about me and Olivia some day!

And, of course, I was glued to my computer screen watching the Amy Butler interview. At one point, Olivia said - Mommy, it's you. Guess I wear my hair like Amy sometime, but I"m definitely not as tall and this as she is - nor will I ever be no matter how hard I work Weight Watchers. :-)

In my next life, I want to come back as a designer. What a cool job. And to be surrounded by all that beauty all the time... plus, they get paid to sew. Who wouldn't want that?

Thanks to Sandi Henderson at PortabelloPixie for giving us this great behind-the-scenes footage!

WIP-ed Around

There's a reason for the acronym WIP for Works in Progress. At some point, we sewers and knitters have so many we feel whipped around by them!

Here is a snapshot of my list of active WIPs (disclaimer: this does not include the many projects hibernating in the dark corners of closets because I can't stand the site of them).

1. Quilt A - Can't say what or for whom as it is a Christmas gift.

2. Quilt B - Same as quilt A (but here is a sneak peak at it)

3. Olivia's Christmas dress

4. Scarf for Christmas gift

5. Hat for me (because I got tired of giving all my projects away)

6. Scarf for Bill

7. Tunic for Olivia

8. Advent quilt

9. Custom order from craft fair

Plus, I just got the fabric for Olivia's Portabello Pixie outfit that I want to take on our Christmas cruise - completed.

Oh, and there are several other Christmas gifts I want to make that I have not even started. In fact, don't even have the fabric for!

No wonder I'm overwhelmed.

I Want it Wednesdays

Couldn't help myself. I ordered these patterns from PortabelloPixie along with Anna Maria Horner fabric to make them.

This one is called the Analise .

This one is called Ruffle Pants. 

Can't wait to get started on these!

Barter and Trade

Recently, I joined an Etsy trading group. The idea is that we all have something another desires and would prefer to exchange product for product rather than money for product to get it.

My first trade is almost wrapped up. I made a toddler scarf with adorable flower applique in exchange for some pretty amazingly cute felt hair pretties for Olivia.

Here is the shoppe  I traded with for the hair pretties. I selected the Holly Holiday , Owl , and Bright Pink Strawberry barrettes. Aren't they adorable? Can't wait until they arrive in the mail!

Christmas Pillow with Envelope Tutorial

Only I would wake up at 6 a.m. (the day after doing a craft fair) on a perfectly good Sunday morning for sleeping in to make toss-pillow covers in Christmas fabric. Listening to Christmas music all day yesterday must have gotten me into the spirit - after I publish this post, I'm going to get out my Santa collection and redo my mantle for the holidays!

So, back to the pillows. I used two different Debbie Mumm fabrics. My daughter will enjoy the rustic scenes - skiing bears, ice skating owls, and snow-ball throwing squirrels. Very cute.

Here's a picture of the front.

Here's a picture of the back.

To make, cut one panel 21"W x 21"H (this fits a 20"x20" pillow). If you have a different sized pillow, just add a half inch on each side. This panel is the front. Set aside.

Next, cut a panel 24"W x 21"H. Then, cut the width at the 15" mark. Now you have two panels for the back - one that is 15"W x 21"H and one that is 9"W x 21"H.

Next, iron the back panels along one of the longest edge. First, iron 1/4"and then iron another 1/2" for a finished hem.

Next, put the front panel right side up on a flat surface. Put the larger of the back panels down on top of the front panel.  Right sides should face and the hemmed edge go in the center.

Then, put the smaller of the two back panels right side facing the front panel's right side. The smaller back panel should overlap the larger back panel.

Pin the edges in place. Sew 1/2" seam around all four edges.

Finally, turn the pillow cover right sides out. 

A large knitting needle is a great corner-poker tool.

And, voila! You have a easy, fast pillow cover. I made 4 of them in under 2 hours!

More Pics from the Craft Fair