Wowwwwwww~  I've had to use a fire hose to put out the flames, my one-of-a-kind were so hot, they disappeared off the shelves in a flash.  In total we created over thirty One-of-a-Kind Limited Editions.  We've come to end of this special fabric and will have to wait awhile to replenish the stock.

No stopping this Sister Act, though!  When the creative juices begin flowing, watch out, and watch this space.....below!

This looks familiar to some of you, but for new visitors to my blog, this is the basics of an Heirloom Crazy Quilted Baby Block, that can be used as a unique wall hanging, a special decorative pillow, or a cover for the baby's first photo album.  

This is our new way to help you visualize your finished product.

What you see here is a mock up of the block using some of the fabric, trim and embellishments that are included in the package.  These are just placed in position (not sewn) to give an idea of how to put it together, bringing out the beauty of the elements, including baby.


The package also contains a pdf booklet with step by step illustrated instructions plus many colour photos of embroidered seams, etc.  Batting and enough fabric to back and bind the block is also included, as is your baby's photo and birth details printed on silk fabric.  A colour photo of our mock up will be included in each package.  

Pink and green is just one of many colour selections that are available.  Several colour choices will be ready on Etsy by the end of the week.

You can see some finished blocks here. 

1 a.m Helena cannot stop!  

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A week or so ago, I wrote that my sister is visiting and I mentioned then that she came across my small selection of unique fabrics and offered to do something with them.  

Well, my sister and I are still in the midst of these gorgeous beaded, sequinned and richly decorative fabrics and we're still having a wonderful time with them.  There are little sparkly bits of sequins and beads all over the floor, the result of chopping them up for the One-of-a-Kind selections I am now selling in my Etsy shop.  The first six packages that we made initially flew off the shelf, so we knew that not only did we love these fabrics, they were beautiful to others too.  So that inspired us to continue.

It's so much fun choosing pieces that go together, arranging them, and magically it seems, a name for the selection is born.  

This has been a labour of love because to put each selection together takes a lot of choosing, arranging, deciding which piece goes with each other, and what the story is behind the fabrics.  And each selection, ultimately, feels like a piece of art just in placing the pieces together. 

So here are some of our latest selections put together, on  Etsy there are more photos of the fabrics.  

The precious piece of beading in the centre was the inspiration for this selection.  Below the beading is pleated organza which reminds me of Jean Butler in Riverdance.

After Helena put this together, she called me over to look.  At the same moment we both said to each other "Russian Roulette".  A little telepathy here.

Aunt Maude is sitting primly in her stuffed parlour chair.  She reached deep into her closet (at least 60 years back) for just the right outfit to greet her many guests.

Northern Princess started out as "Soft Spring", but somehow as we were working on it, we mislaid two pieces of fabric, and therefore we had to substitute two others.  Suddenly we had the "Northern Princess".  

Here's a link to my Etsy shop. 

CQJP2013 March's block

March's block finished.  There may still be a bit of stitching added now that I see it on the sceen!

Forgotten Stash....

How I could have forgotten this gorgeous assortment of embroidered and beaded fabric is hard to believe.  I had tucked it away probably because the pieces were not large enough to cut several pieces of the same to include in selections in my  Etsy Shop. 

My sister Helena is visiting and came across them tucked away in amongst my stash.

So, rather than tuck them away again, she offered to  put together some one-of-a-kind embroidered fabric packages. In each there will be eight pieces of richly embroidered, beaded, sequinned or special fabric.

Here's the first one she made up for the shop;  my sister has named it "Russian Opera":

Here's the link to my Etsy shop:  From my Stash to Yours

Sorry, they are all sold out.  More coming soon.

Powdered trees

Just had to share the view from my mum's 7th floor condo balcony this morning.  There wasn't a breath of air so the snow stayed on every little bit of a branch.

CQJP 2012 Finished!

It's such a good feeling to finish a project!!!

This is my Fan Quilt, my CQJP2012 challenge.  I love how it looks finished.  What you cannot really see in the photo are 13 extra embroidered triangles that fill in the top, bottom and sides.  These triangles hold a small embroidered fan in neutral threads with either pearls or golden beads.   Here are some of them in close up:

Here is the link to all the other fan blocks on Flickr:

dianesm's photos

Chicken Scratch embroidery

This little sweetheart is my great niece Hilary, (my niece Rohanna's daughter, and my sister's grand daughter).  

You'll see another little bit of chicken scratch on her top.  It's the same little French smock pattern that I bought from ChocolatineStudio on Etsy.  

Of course you can use any fabric for the smock, but gingham is the one for chicken scratch.  I found that the gingham squares don't always run straight, so before I cut out the pattern, I match up the squares so that when I embroider, it doesn't go downhill!

CQJP2013

I signed up for CQJP2013 but I didn't have any clue of what I was going to do for 12 blocks.  In my head I went from one crazy thing to another and finally decided on a project that would have lots of beading and some stumpwork. 

The blocks are 6" square and this is January and February's blocks joined together.  I also decided that I would not leave the joining and finishing to the end.  (I'm still working on getting my CQJP2012 Fan Quilt completed.) 

This is January's block before being attached to February.  The trees are not sewn on yet, I'll do that after March and April's blocks are added.

And this is February's block.

The idea is, as I work from left to right, that it will be a landscape of changing seasons.  

Technically challenged......

What is it about zappers and cable boxes?  I have this wonderful new TV (see above) and no matter which button we pressed on either component, nothing happened.  Even a call to Rogers Cable didn't help, and now we have to wait until Monday for a service call!

Monday! my sister cries, We'll miss Downton Abbey!

  

And to work the zapper I need my Ott Light and a magnifier and ... maybe a glass or two!  

Lauren

My sister Helena visiting from New York with Lauren (my grand daughter) in the chicken scratch top I made her for Christmas.

The Partial Reveal....

The fans are joined and I'm so pleased with how it has turned out.  There are fifteen fans and thirteen triangles that are also embroidered to make the whole thing into an oblong.
Now I'm searching for the same colour of dupioni silk for the back that I used for the sashing.  Hopefully that won't be too much longer and then you will see my finished 2012 CQJP.

Sewing for grand-daughters...

In my post before Christmas I mentioned that I had been doing some sewing.  I have three grand-daughters, one in Quebec who received the little bag for her birthday in October, and two here.

I started off with some great fabric that Suzie had bought years ago for a baby shower.  She only needed a fat quarter sized piece and had enough left over for a little tunic.  This wasn't a Christmas gift as I had promised to make something of the fabric when she had a daughter.

This was a easy pattern to use, so I made another one from Matheson tartan fabric.  The hem is only tacked.

I love this pattern, it is from the '70s and is only size 2. This one is for Emily also and I'm searching for more small sizes to make this dress for the other two girls.  

The snuggle quilt is for baby Lauren.  I chose ballerina fabric on the fluffy side and blue and silver fairy wands on the back.

And this little smock is for Lauren.  Of course I couldn't stay away from the chicken scratch!  The neck binding is eyelet lace.

It sure was fun sewing these little items.  


Hope you all had a good Christmas.

And have a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year.