Quick Table Runner

I found myself with really nothing to do on Good Friday, which is rare for me on a day off. I have been wanting to make a table runner for my coffee table since I got it 4 months ago. It just seems to be a dust collector. I clean it and 10 mins later I feel there is a layer of dust on it already.

I didn't really have a plan for it. I knew I wanted to use the rest of my Belle Scraps and I had some leftover linen fabrics. I sat down and started sewing random pieces together to make blocks. I ended up with three blocks all slightly different sizes. I added linen borders and used linen for the back. I did my favourite quilting on it. I use different sizes of masking tape and tape random lines on the diagonal and sew on both sides of the tape with my walking foot. I really love how the quilting looks on the linen. I also remembered how much I love linen and really don't like sewing with it. Thankfully, It wasn't so bad since it was a smaller piece to quilt.

I also finished my 3x6 Bee blocks which I will post and get sent hopefully this weekend.

Baby Quilt #1

I know it may seems like I haven't been doing a lot but I actually have. I have so many projects on the go right now that I don't even think I can remember all of them.

I finished this baby quilt a few weeks ago for my best friend who is the proud daddy of baby Rory. It was made using scraps, again, in pink and Kona Snow which is still my all time favourite. The quilt is from Elizabeth Hartman which I purchased here. I did altered the size a little. For some reason I don't like square quilts so I eliminated a side row and it's still a good baby size. I quilted it in a crosshatch design which you can't see very well as I took some very quick pictures indoors. It seems like we waited forever for her to come.

I am also currently making a quilt from this tutorial from Red Pepper Quilts. I have made all the border squares and am now at a standstill waiting for some more Kona Snow. I really hate our lack of good quilting shops in Canada. I also purchased this pattern and finished the quilt top in Amy Butler Lotus fabric to match the pillow I made my mother for Christmas.

I am also working in some random sized wonky star blocks which I'm thinking will eventually become a quilt for my bed in the summer. It has been a lot of fun to do these and not have any time restrictions on getting it down.

See, I have been busy, I just need to start taking more pictures of my WIP's.

Birthday Pillows

My brother's girlfriends' birthday was yesterday. I had no idea what to get her. When I asked my brother what he thought I should get, he said "oh.....you're buying something? That's weird..." I instantly felt bad about it. Michelle is one of the people in my life who loves everything I make...even the stuff I hate. After thinking about it for a couple of days, I decided to make pillows since I had two 18" pillow forms that I had just bought on sale. I have made pillows before but not a lot of them. I have been into stars lately so I decided to make little star blocks that measured 4.5" unfinished. I have to say sewing so many little pieces was a challenge but I really loved making them. I was going to do the whole pilllow in these little stars but I was under a deadline. I decided to make four small ones for the corners and a larger center block. the second pillow was a much simpler one and came together in a couple of hours. I made it with some uneven strips and stacked them. the quilting is some simple crosshatching which I always love. I used a lot of the same fabrics in both pillows as I wanted them to go together but not be matchy, matchy. I really love how these pillows turned out. I really want to keep them even thought they don't match anything in my house. If I can't keep them, I'm glad they're going to a good home where my work is always loved and appreciated.



Now, if any of you follow the Stitched In Color blog, which I creep daily, you will know the Bloggers Pillow Party has been going on for a few months. I love looking at the pillows everyone has made. I have decided to enter my Star pillow. This is difficult for me as I am my own worst critic but I think this one may be worthy. If you haven't already, go on over and check out everyone's beautiful pillows.

Shop Changes

So I have been thinking a lot lately of my little shop on Etsy. I have been selling bags and accessories online for about five years but about 8 years in total. I've been feeling a little burnt out lately. I work a 40 hr a week job and easily put in another 30 a week sewing. I have decided to focus mainly on wallets and smaller accessories as they are my biggest sellers. I will be putting my bags on sale and won't be listing any more anytime soon. I feel it's better for me to focus on the more popular items and give myself a little break. I'm not saying I won't be making bags again but I need to focus on something else for a little while.

I have been quilting a lot lately and making pillows and placemats, a lot more home items. This is something I'm going to consider adding to my shop or opening up a shop later in the spring for home items. We'll see where it takes me. In the meantime, my wallets and pouches and smaller wristlet bags will still be available in the shop and I hope to have more variety soon.

My bags will be put on sale to clear out starting today, so check it out if you are looking for a new bag.

Modern Solid Quilt

I finished the Kona solid quilt and I love it! It came together very quickly since I didn't have any blocks to put together, just my very rough diagram to follow. this is really my kind of quilting. I really love clean solid lines. I quilted it in 3 inch squares. I originally did some straight line quilting across the width but decided it needed more and added some the across the length. I pieced the back with leftovers and I like it almost as much as the front. I really love the look of the solids. I think I will be making more in some girly colours. I'm thinking pink and orange...my favourite combo!


Quilt Front


Quilt back

Modern Improv

I think I mentioned in my previous post that my BF wanted his own quilt since I wasn't so good about sharing mine. He wanted black and white. I thought about different patterns for a while but nothing was really exciting me. All I knew was that I wanted it to be all solids and in different shades of grey with a little black. I was bored at the end of my shift last Friday night so I drew up a really rough plan and some measurements. I was a little afraid of ruining a whole lot of my much loved Kona solids. If any of you live in Canada, you know it's very hard to get designer fabrics here without paying double the price. I refuse to do that so all my fabric is ordered online. Because of this I try to make sure I have everything I need before starting a project. It's very frustrating to wait 2 weeks for more fabric if you have to order mid project. Anyway, I picked all Kona cottons. The colours are pepper, charcoal, medium grey, slate and ash. So far it's turning out well and I see a lot of solid quilts in my future.

Kitchen Window Quilt

I know it seems like I haven't been doing much, but I have been...really. I finished this quilt at the beginning of January but just haven't got around to taking pictures, as usual. I am still struggling at taking pictures of quilts. They just never turn out very well. Oh well, I have never claimed to be a photographer.

Anyway, I have been planning this quilt since I bought Elizabeth Hartman's book, The Practical Guide to Patchwork. I knew right away I wanted to make one out of my very limited scraps (a freezer bag) of my favourite Amy Butler Belle fabrics. That's what I love about this pattern, it really doesn't take much fabric and makes a good size lap quilt. This was super easy and quick to make. The cutting took me a few hours as I was not using yardage but very odd and different sized scraps. I just love how it turned out despite my problem with the actual quilting. For some reason my sewing machine was just not agreeing with me that day. I definitely recommend this quilt to anyone, especially if you have limited supply of a favourite fabric. You will be seeing probably a few more of these from me. I have one planned out for my mom and my bf has decided he wants his own quilt for the couch since we've been fighting over this one. His is going to be done in Kona solids which I think will look great in this quilt and still be masculine.

Thank you Elizabeth for this book. I can honestly say, it is the best quilting book I have ever bought (and I have a lot)!

16" Lotus Pillows

16" Lotus Pillows
Originally uploaded by AmieJ Designs

These were made for my mom for Christmas. These were made from my scraps of Amy Butler's Lotus fabric. I was going to make my mom a quilt as well but I ran out of time. I'm will still make it, it will just have to be a" just because your my mom" present. I modified the block from Elizabeth Hartman's book A Practical Guide to Patchwork. If you do not have this book, you must go get it right now. Her quilts are stunning and the directions are so thorough and easy to follow. I will be getting a lot of use out of this book.