Weekend Doings is Moving!

Hello friends! Things have been a little quite around here... Sorry if I have not been answering to your comments or visiting your blogs. I've been busy working behind the scenes creating a new home for Weekend Doings. For some time I've been debating about creating a new website for this blog, so I finally decided to take a leap of faith and move to a different blogging platform. I hope your will come and visit and follow along all the crafting adventures to come. 

Please come and visit our new home here. I really hope to see you there.

XO

Martha

New Yarn and Knitting Dreams

Hello friends, I hope you had a lovely weekend. Today just flew by: I spent a big part of the day quilting the Wonky Log Cabin quilt I've working on. I can't wait to finish it. It is turning out so lovely (you can see some of the progress here and here). And while I was busy quilting I kept dreaming about what to do with my new yarn. It just arrived last Friday and I can't get over how pretty it is. I usually don't buy yarn without a project in mind, but I just couldn't resist. The pink bubble gum color is the perfect pop of color against the gray. I'm thinking a shawl or a cowl would look lovely with this yarn. Time to head on to Rarely and do some research :)

Wishing you a beautiful week. 

*Linking up to Wool On Sundays @ Rainbow Hare Quilts*

XO

Martha 

Sew The Library: Pencil Holder

Hello and welcome to another edition of Sew The Library I am so happy you stopped by! For this month I decided to make a project from one of the first books I ever bought and one of my most beloved ones: 1 ,2, 3 Sew. It is a wonderful book filled with inspiring projects. This pencil holder has been on my to do list for a while. I want to use it to hold marking pens and notion by my sewing machine. I made a few adjustments from the original pattern:I made it a little shorter that what the  pattern calls for and instead of using the loop as a closure I'm going to use it to hang it on a hook when I need it out of the way. Also, pattern calls for canvas for the outer and lining fabrics, but I used linen quilted with batting for the outer piece and cotton fabric for the lining. I just couldn't resit linen is my absolute favorite fabric. 

I'm really excited to seeing your projects and learning about the books in your library. Please link up your projects and visit others. 

I hope you have a happy week!

   

Back to Knitting

Hello friends! I hope you had a lovely weekend. My weekend was super fun. I worked on the Wonky Log Cabin quilt I'm making for my husband and I'm very close to finishing up the quilt top. Also, after a long break from knitting last week I went back to my knitting routine. Every morning I knit a couple of rows during my morning commute. I had stopped because I was suffering from tendonitis and it became painful to knit and was definitely not enjoyable anymore. But lately my condition improved and I was able to pick up the needles again. I'm so incredibly happy to be able to knit again. I started this shawl last year and I can't wait to finish it. It is about two thirds done, so it will take me a while to finish it, but I'm so glad I'm able to work on it again. 

I hope you have happy week!

*Linking up to Wool Sundays @Rainbow Hare Quilts*

XO 

Martha

Harvest Vine Table Runner and Sew The Library News

Happy Sunday! I hope you had a lovely Easter celebration. Things are starting to slow down a bit and I was able to sneak a bit of sewing here and there and I finished this table runner. The pattern is Harvest Vine from the book Pretty in Patch Work Holidays. This was supposed to be my Sew the Library project for last month, which was hosted by Jodi at Tales of Cloth. Unfortunately I was late to party... Speaking of Sew the Library, the link up is moving permanently to Weekend Doings. Heidi and Jodi have other commitments and couldn't continue hosting the link up. So starting this month the link up will here. I hope you could join me and share the projects that you made from a book or a magazine. The link up starts the 20th and closes at the end of the month. I also made a button if you would like to grab it. You can find the code here.

Have a wonderful week!

XO
Martha

Around Here...

Happy Monday friends! I hope you are having a great start of the week. Around here things have been very busy and chaotic. So sewing has been scarce. My work has kept me very busy and away from my sewing machine. But on the plus side, the weather has been glorious. The wisteria vines in my little garden are laden with gorgeous purple blossoms and I just can't stop looking at them every chance I get. 

I hope things slow down soon and I can go back to creating and playing with fabric, but in the meantime I will enjoy the view.

Wishing you a beautiful week.

XO

Martha

Log Cabin Obsession

Hello friends, how was your weekend? Around here the weather has been wonderful; there are signs of spring everywhere. And it just feels like a happy and joyful time. Yesterday I  picked some freesias from my little garden to adorn my table. I love having fresh flowers around the house; specially when they come from my garden. 

Another thing that I love is starting a new project. The excitement of picking out the fabrics and seeing your idea come to life is just so much fun. Although, on this particular project I had a bit of help. My husband requested a quilt of his own. He always supports my hobby and enjoys the quilts I make, but has never requested a quilt of his own. So I had to get  on it right away. He helped me choose the fabrics and gave some "pointers" on the design :) He did't want all the blocks to be exactly the same or be very symmetrical so I decided on wonky log cabin blocks. After I showed him the first block he says that he approves, lol. 

Even though I just finished another log cabin quilt, I just couldn't resist. Log cabin blocks are so much fun to make and they offer so many possibilities. I'm really enjoying working on this quilt and seeing my husband excitement every time a complete a new block. And that reminds me why I love quilting so much.  I hope to make more progress next weekend and finish it very soon.

Wishing you a wonderful week!

XO 

Martha. 

Scrappy Log Cabin Quilt

Happy Sunday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. I'm so happy to be sharing with you my latest finish. A few days ago I completed my scrappy log cabin quilt. I've been working on it for a few weeks already (you can see my progress here and here). It all started as an attempt to use up some of my fabric scraps (as you know they just keep on multiplying). I never thought I was going to be able to get a quilt out of them, I thought maybe a couple of pillows or a table runner of some sort. But,  boy was I wrong in my calculations: a 50X60 inches quilt was born and I'm beyond happy of how it turned out. This color combo is so happy and cheerful; like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. 

I kept debating on how to quilt it, but at the end I decided on simple straight lines. It adds a wonderful texture to the quilt and blends nicely with the log cabins. 

After such and unexpected finish I wonder what my next scrappy project would be. Time to start sorting through my fabric scraps and hope inspiration will strike.

Wishing you a lovely week.

XX

Martha.

Sew The Library: Kimono Tunic

Hello and welcome to our second edition of Sew The Library. I'm very happy to have you here. For this month's project I decided to add a new piece to my wardrobe. I've only made another top before (you can see it here) and since then I've been anxious to try again, but for one reason or another I kept postponing it. But not anymore: Sew the Library is the perfect encouragement to put our beloved craft books to use. This new top is the Kimono Tunic from the Sweet Dress Book. I'm absolutely obsessed with Japanese sewing books and this one is a great one. The patterns are very relaxed and user friendly; specially for a beginner like myself. The fabric is a cut to flannel I got at my local fabric shop on clearance and I've been saving it for months looking for the perfect project. It is super soft and very cozy. I think this tunic is going to get lots of use. I love the color an the texture and so easy to wear. The fit is a bit loose but I think that is part of the charm of these designs. And it is perfect to wear with leggings or tights so it makes for a super comfy outfit. 

Now on to the link up.

What you have been up to? Please link up your projects you made from a craft book or a magazine this month and visit each other.
Thank you for stopping by,

XO
Martha

Planning...

Hello friends! How is your week going? Around here the weather has been glorious. It looks like spring has arrived a little early. Also, the second installment of Sew The Library is upon us. I've been planning my project and I hope to finish it this weekend. The link up starts on the 20th and I'll be hosting this month. I hope you will join us and link up the projects you made this month from a sewing book or a magazine. 

For now back to the sewing machine :)

XO

Martha

WIP: Scrappy Log Cabin

Happy Sunday! I hope you had a lovely weekend. Mine was busy, but very productive. I made a few more of the scrappy log cabin blocks I had been working on. When I started this project, I just wanted to use up some of my fabric scraps. But I had no idea how big of a project I could get out of them. I thought maybe a cushion or a table runner. The pile of scraps didn't look very big at all. So with no plan, just enjoying the process and cheering every time I completed one more block I was able to put together a small quilt. That's what I love about quilting: how small mount of fabric pieces sewn together suddenly becomes a quilt. Amazing! And now my little quilt is basted and ready to be quilted. I'm still undecided about how to quilt it. Any suggestions? 

Speaking of basting; what is your favorite method for quilt basting? I've always used pins and my favorite tool the Kwik Klip to help fasten the pins. But I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Wishing you beautiful week!

XO
Martha.

On My Table...

I've been trying to use up my fabric scraps, so I started some scrappy log cabin blocks. I don't know how much my scraps will yield: I'm hoping I'll get a small quilt out of them. But I love the idea of just going where the fabric takes me. 

I hope you have a lovely week.

XO

Martha.

Sew The Library: Patchwork Pot Holder

For our first Sew The Library link up I decided to make something from one of my favorite books: Zakka Style. I think it is one of the first craft books I ever bought and I love every single project in it.  It is hard to pick just one. But I decided to choose the most practical at the moment. My pot holders were in such disrepair, so I went ahead and made a couple to replace my old ones. I really like their round shape, scrappiness and the linen (my favorite fabric). I absolutely love the way they turned out that now I'm afraid to put them to use and get them dirty.  Or maybe I should just make a few more so I have a good supply of pretty pot holders to use and adorn my kitchen. 

This month's link up is hosted by Heidi @ Fabric Mutt. I hope you would join us sharing your projects that you made from a book or a magazine. The link up will remain open until the end of the month. 

Have a wonderful week!

XO

Martha.