My first quilt top

This is such a relief to have finally completed this quilt top, my first ever. I started working on it months ago, and got stuck on the inner border which, according to the pattern, alternated black and ivory bands. I tried to do so, but I could never match my seams and the result was pitiful. So, I got bored with the whole thing, folded it and left it in a corner of my craft room.

Recently while reading Jane Brocket's latest book The Gentle Art of Quiltmaking, I realised that this quilt did not have to be so complicated. I liked the way Jane works from instinct rather than by following rules, and I thought why can't I do something like that too? So, I decided to digress from the pattern, although it really did look amazing, and go with a simple black inner border. This was much more within my reach, and at least it made me finish the quilt top.

Now I have to decide what fabric to use for the backing, and I can't think of anything. I'd like it to be colorful as the top, but I don't want to use any more fabrics from this Keri Beyer's collection. Any suggestion of pattern or specific fabric would be more than welcome, so please leave a comment if anything comes to mind.

I am linking this post to Amylouwho's Sew and Tell, where I have spied some gorgeous things, including her own Amy Butler's Love Quilt. You've got to check it out!

Sylvie

My Creative Space... Tulip Cups

I haven't done much sewing during my vacations, but I did come up with these little fabric cupcake liners this week and I am working on making a bunch of them. And don't worry, I will not actually put real cupcakes in them.

The thing is, I got this cupcake rack months ago, and since I am not exactly Martha Stewart, chances are that I will not use it in the kitchen more than once or twice a year. So I thought it might look good in my craft room, and be useful to store little knick knacks.

So here they are on the rack, waiting to filled up.

All I really need to do right now is make a few more... 22 to be exact! Wish me luck.

And don't forget to check all the links at Kootoyoo for more creative spaces.

Sylvie

Garden Inspiration

One of the great things about Quebec-city is the abundance of beautiful parks across town. As a person of habits, I usually go to the same places, knowing that I can see birds on this particular lake or collect shells on this portion of the beach at a specific time of the year.

Sometimes, however, it can be very nice to go to less common places and discover new favorite spots. Last weekend, on our way to the museum (we visited this exhibition), we stopped at Bois-de-Coulonge for a picnic and a stroll in the sun. I had been there before, but not often enough to remember all the best spots of the park.

I just love this kind of umbrella tree, it would be so useful to have one around when you get caught in the rain.

Love this color combination, and I can't help but see yarn balls instead of flowers!

I mostly like how the gardeners are using existing structures to grow plants, like the ancient greenhouse above...

And this hairy pergola!
I also discovered some flowers that I would very much like to add to my own garden in the coming years:

Crocosmia 'Lucifer'
Gomphrena 'All-around purple'

Rudbeckia 'Denver Daisy'

Wishing you a great week, this one is for me the last before long awaited summer vacations.

Sylvie

When the temperatures rise over 30 degrees, what's a girl to do stay away from the heat?

Well, okay, playing with yarn may not be your ideal way to keep cool, but trust me, it was much better than sitting in my sewing-room-turned-oven! I made these without a specific plan, using Lucy's Summer Garden Granny Square pattern on Attic24. Now I think I'll just join them in a big square and use it as a pot holder.

Fabric Basket Prototype

We're going through a major heat wave here this week and I found it very hard to sit in my sewing room for more than a few minutes. The pool was much more appealing to me.

However, I managed to sew a prototype of fabric basket. I was looking for a cute and practical way to store all the FQ I have, most of them being buried in piles of fabrics everywhere around my craft room. I came up with a very simple pattern, which was good for using scraps.

Basically, all I needed were two fat eights for the sides, and some scraps for the bottom and ties.

And here is what it looks like all filled up. Of course, I will need a few more of these since it can hardly contain more than 24 FQs. That will give me a chance to make it better.

It's too hot in this room now, I must go back to the pool! Have a great weekend and don't forget to check out all the great posts on Amy's blog!

Something New, Something Old

And yes, something blue as well, but nothing borrowed, so don't you go reading into it, I am not getting married. Very happy the way I am, thank you. Although, judging by the lapse of time since I last wrote here, I would have had ample time to get married and go on a honeymoon around the world!

The reality is that summer has taken me by surprise. We've had beautiful weather in my little corner lately and so I spent much more time outside, enjoying every minute of it, than I have spent sitting in front of the computer. It's been very good for me, I've even got a hint of a tan.

While I may not be working much on my sewing projects these days, something big is about to take place in my craft room. I am planning a complete reorganization of my space, a major decluttering, a definite end to the infernal chaos! And I've hired some help: my out-of-school-for-the-summer devoted boyfriend is drawing the plans of what will be my new fabric armoire. I just can't wait to see it built and filled with all my lovely fabrics.

But this is only one part of the plan. My goal is to turn my bland, messy space into an organized, inspiring one. I started working on the blandness problem las weekend with a "something new". This, below, is my ironing board with its horribly boring grey cover.

I've had this board for years and never bothered getting it a nice cover. Enough of it! I splurged on some favorite Nicey Jane fabric and sewed my own cover using this easy tutorial. Et voilà! So much better now. Honey, bring me your shirts, I'll iron them for you!

Now, to the "something old" part. It's just a little thing that I am glad I came across. We went to flea market on Sunday morning, and I have to mention that we're not huge fans, but we like to go once or twice every summer. We don't buy much old stuff, but we do like to add some vintage elements here and there in our home. And so, I just couldn't resist when we met a nice lady selling these old glass electrical insulators.

I simply love them, their shape and beautiful teal color, and the way they catch light. They could make cute paper-weights or book ends, or even some garden decorations like these. I haven't decided, but for now I am content to hold them and admire them.

Must go now. Happy Canada Day to all Canadians out there, I sure will celebrate!

Sylvie

Sew & Tell - Sew last minute!

I almost didn't make it - again! But I spent the morning handstitching the borders on these and here they are, my new summer placemats. They are part of a little series I've decided to make, which already included winter and spring. The pattern is from Pink Penguin, although I changed it a little by reducing the size and using patterned fabric for the center piece. I was looking for a way to make a patchwork while still giving a big spot to my fruity fabrics, and I think this works nice, although it might look a little too busy for some people, but I think that summer is the right time to go a little overboard with patterns and colours.

I have used really small flowers for the backing, some cute FQs I scored for 1$ a piece on Etsy.

P.S.: My machine quilting abilities have yet to be developped, so please don't look too closely at the supposedly parallel lines! For much better quilting techniques and great projects, head on over to Amy's blog.

Enjoy your weekend! Some great weather coming my way, looking forward to some outdoors handstitching.