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!

   

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

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.

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.

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.

On My Table...

Happy Sunday everyone! Did you have a good weekend? I didn't get to do as much sewing as I had planned but I managed to sneak a few moments on my new quilting project. I'm super excited   about this one: a Granny Square Quilt.  It has been in my wish list for such a long time and finally I'll be making one.  I used the tutorial by Blue Elephant Stitches and after making a few blocks I can't stop! They are so much fun to make.  The only difference is that my blocks are going to be slightly smaller since my squares are 2 inches instead of the 2.5 that the tutorial calls for. I had some 2 inches fabric strips already cut up that I wanted to use up and they seem to be working out great. 

I'm really looking forward to making more progress on this little project.

Wishing you a wonderful week!

XX

Martha.

It's All About The Little Things...

Sometimes the smallest things can bring you so much joy... Last weekend I was playing with some fabric scraps and decided to make a spool block, which has been in my mind for some time. I used the instructions from the book Liberty Love. Though I made a little mistake and ended up making it narrower, but I still liked my block very much that I made it into this itty bitty quilt. It is so tiny! (it only measures 6X5 inches). However, I think that what it lacks in size it makes up in personality. I think it is super cute. It now hangs in my sewing room and it makes my heart sing every time I look at it. So it got me thinking... this is exactly what life is all about: always appreciate the little things and love what you do. 

I hope you are having a lovely week!

*Linking up to Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts*

XX

Martha

Conquering My Fear of Color

I finally got back to my sewing machine and I finished a quilt! It is a small one but I'm really excited about  it and so happy to share with you.  The colors are not something that I would typically choose. For some reason I always shy away from bright colors. But I received a fat eight bundle of these happy fabrics as a gift and I couldn't resist to turn them into a quilt and conquer my fear of color. The quilt top was so easy and fun to put together; I simply cut strips of 1-1/2 inches wide and  of different lengths and joined them together randomly to get a scrappy effect. For the backing I used the ever so popular Britten Nummer fabric from Ikea (I had some left over from another project and was very surprised at how well it complements the bright colors from the quilt top). But I think my favorite detail about this quilt is the aqua binding. I chose it a the last minute and I absolutely love how it ties everything together. It is like an explosion of color :)

I'm so thankful to have received these lovely and cheerful fabrics because they have definetely made me less affraid of using more color on my projects. 

*Linking up to Let's Bee  Sewcial at Sew Fresh Quilts *

Have a beautiful week!

XX

Martha

A Small Finish

After a busy week it feels good to finish a little something. I started working on the patchwork detail for this pouch two weeks ago and it feels good to finally see it finished. I'm really happy with the way it turned out. Specially because I made it for a dear friend. She lives faraway and I don't get to see her often, but every once and a while I like to send her little handmade gifts. I think it so wonderful  to find an unexpected package or a letter in your mailbox  from a friend who lives faraway or that you haven't seen in a while. It really makes your day, don't you agree?  I hope she likes this one.

Have a wonderful week!

XX

Martha.