nanaCompany

:: Briar Rose giveaway!

Way back when I first saw the preview of Heather Ross' new line "Briar Rose" I got super excited...

Now I've finally got it and I'm excited all over again.  It's not my usual fave kinda stuff, but I love it, I do.  It's whimsical, fun, a little earthy... I got it from this shop.  Have you seen some of the awesome stuff peeps are making with it?

1. hug, 2. briarfront, 3. Weekender Bag for Susi, 4. briar rose pillows, 5. Briar Rose, 6. Briar Rose quilt_ lapsize quilt_ handmade, 7. Briar Rose skirt, 8. ice cream top in briar rose, 9. Mother's Day Crafting, 10. briar rose - on a whim, 11. qm2 (1 of 1), 12. Round the Blocks pattern by Better Off Thread, 13. Heather Ross Briar Rose Quilt Top 45"x45"

I'm totally making this quilt ~ I think it'll make the perfect picnic blanket.  But I also really love this so I've purchased a yard of this fabric and it's on its way to me right now.  In the meantime, I had to start some hexagons.  That little bumblebee was screaming at me, "hexagons!" and I replied, "well, okay!"

I don't know if you remember my girl Shay of Simply Sweet Fabric, but she quite generously sent me a fat quarter bundle of Briar Rose to give to one of you.  (That's 20 delicious fat quarters.)  If you'd like it, take a look at her shop, then leave a comment here telling me which print is your fave... the winner will be chosen randomly.  I'll take comments until Thursday, September 5th.  The winner will be announced Friday, September 6th.

Now go ahead and enter.  Someone's going to win it!

xo amy

:: a bit of calm before the storm

Eager to extract every last drop of summer before school began, we drove out last week to Palm Springs and soaked up the hot hot sun.

Of course, one cannot sit by the pool all day.  Especially when Jo-Ann is just down the street from your hotel.

I picked up these prints and that linen ribbon, which I've never seen there before.  I liked how these prints looked all together and thought I'd make a quick quilt... but who am I kidding?  I've now got so many unfinished projects piled up that I'd be crazy.  And I love how the girl at the cutting desk always asks, "So, what are you making?"

Sometimes I'm honest and I just say, "Oh nothing.  I'm a fabric hoarder."  You know?

Well, when I see you next, I'll be doing a giveaway of the Heather Ross sort.  Heather Ross!  See you soon?

xo amy

:: Airmail

I wanted to show you my fabric stamp collection before they're all used up on one very costly piece of "airmail"...

So, here they are.

Remember when I shared with you all this craft book?  I made that cute bento lunch sack with instructions from the book, but Amy Morinaka's "Airmail Mugrug" was also super high on my list.  What I didn't realize was that making the actual fabric stamps would be so addicting.  I've got a nice red bucket overflowing with teensy fabric scraps (less than an inch in width) in my fave prints... and finding a use for them is awesome.  Making them into these pretty little stamps ~ totally addicting!

It's easy as can be.  You need Wonder Under (or any kind of fusible web) and fabric scraps along with some basic white cotton.  I used Kona Snow.

Once your scrap is fused onto the white cotton, apply another backing of fusible web and then cut with your fabric pinking shears.

Stamp love!  These will be posted quite soon.  Here's a little inspiration til I see you next:

1. Airmail from the UK, 2. Dear Mr. Pencil Case, 3. The Mythology of Tears: shared her secret, passed her poison, 4. Narcisse, 5. All Aboard Little Gia, 6. abc embroidery sampler in progress, 7. Vintage Floral Fabric, 8. Postage, 9. african flower potholder, 10. Sewing Room Swap Idea, 11. Antique French Sampler, 12. thread catcher, 13. Airmail mug rug from Zakka Handmades, my book!

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

Note to those of you who inquired about the gingham bound needlebooks:  Of course, my friend chose the strawberry needlebook and so it's not available.  The others will be put in my shop when I gather a few more things and I will give advance notice here when they will be listed for sale.

xo amy

common thread

It's all happening, girls.  It's August (already!?)  Anne is leaving for college.  Tomorrow.  Yep.  Olivia is starting kindergarten in a few weeks.  All this uncharted territory and I'm feeling a little shaky.  But I bet you all want to know the winner of the Flower Sugar Fat Quarter Bundle Giveaway, right?  Thank you for your patience, and thank you to Fat Quarter Shop for sponsoring this giveaway.  And now for the drumroll...

Yay!  Congratulations to Claire, who wrote:

"Lovely colors, as summer time .... I love sewing in front of my window and I see my little garden and the birds flying... Your blog is amazing because always full of very nice and simple ideas, the spirit of patchwork. Claire xoxoxo from France"

I always like to sew with a movie on, whether I'm upstairs or downstairs.  I enjoy the kids' movies, like "Ratatouille" and "Despicable Me", or one of my faves that I've seen a hundred times and know by heart.  And I always have a cup of tea, which I'm happy to drink hot or cold.  When I'm downstairs, I'm using the sewing machine.  When I'm upstairs, though, I'm happily handsewing along with my trusty Bonne Maman sewing jar.  It's become my favorite way to keep at hand a mini-needlebook, a pair of scissors, also a spool of thread, and whatever floss I need.

Thank you for entering the giveaway.  It was comforting to read your comments and see the similarities between us women who come from all over the globe ~ we who love the simple art of creating with fabric and thread. 

xo amy 

little books

Sewing needlebooks can be a great escape from other equally important things... like folding laundry and feeding one's children.

I made these four gingham bound needlebooks just for fun.  One is for a friend and the others will go in the shop, later.  I also made these two needlebooks...

...for me!  I think.  This is the back of the cross-stitch bear needlebook:

As you can see, I've been taking a lot of liberties with my own needlebook tutorial.  I don't even bother with the button closure anymore because I've found it isn't really necessary and I prefer not to fiddle with it every time I need a needle.  Also, it's a lot of fun to do whatever design you like with the front and back covers, using as much or as little patchwork as you like ~ so long as the front and back are the same size is all that matters.  And lastly, I've changed the position of my opening (for turning the needlebook right side out.)  Do what you like, of course, but I just feel more comfortable doing my slip-stitching inside the needlebook and not on an outer seam.

So now I cut my solid backing piece a 1/2" longer so that I can cut it and sew it back together leaving a 2" opening for turning the needlebook.  Press that seam open.  Now you can stitch the entire rectangle at the outer seams and when you turn your needlebook right side out it looks, I think, a bit cleaner.

But whatever you do, please don't forget to feed your kids... your dogs... your cats.  The laundry can wait :)

x0 amy

Flower Sugar Giveaway!

So.  I got excited when I saw Lecien's new Flower Sugar line at Fat Quarter Shop the other day.  New Lecien is always exciting to me, though I've also been coveting this print in every colorway, this print, and this line for quite a while now.  Well, Fat Quarter Shop is so awesome ~ they're letting me offer this Azalea Flower Sugar Fat Quarter Bundle to one of you, because you're awesome, too.

That's 16 beautiful, bright, free fat quarters... oh the possibilities!  I see pillows, potholders, needlebooks...

I made this mini-needlebook using one of my old Flower Sugar scraps the other day:

I love making needlebooks.  They're fast, fun.  It gives you a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment when there is nearly zero time for sewing because it's-summertime-and-the-kids-and-baby-won't-give-you-a-break-but-you-absolutely-must-and-I-mean-must-create-something-because-cutting-and-sewing-tiny-little-pieces-of-fabric-is-simply-a-part-of-who-you-are.

So, I've made several needlebooks in the last few days... but that's another post.  To enter the giveaway for the Azalea Flower Sugar Fat Quarter Bundle, please leave a comment on this post telling me anything you like ~ but I'd love to hear about your sewing "style."  Do you jam along with your iTunes, or put a movie on in the background (like me), or do you prefer the sound of silence?  Do you sip on Dr. Pepper, or tea (like me)?  Do you prefer to be alone or do you like to have someone to talk with while you sew?

Good luck to you, comments will close on Thursday, August 8th, and the winner will be chosen randomly.

xoxoxo amy