nanaCompany

hello Playground

I am so very happy to announce my first full collection with Art Gallery Fabrics: Playground!

{ click here to see bigger swatches with names and colors }

Inspired by childhood memories of Ring around the Rosie, tire swings, the sandbox, jumping rope, hopscotch and four square, he loves me (he loves me not), and Fruit Stripe gum (that I wasn't actually allowed to chew because that was "sugar" gum).  I went old-school in my thinking for this collection, hailing memories of when the playground was mostly made up of tires ~ giant tires that four of us could crawl into and hide in, or the little tires that we jumped across.  That and the black top are what we had in elementary school just before the awe inspiring "playscape" came on the scene ~ these wondrous structures our children play on now.

I hope you like this collection as much as I do.  

Playground won't be hitting stores until July, but I've received strike-offs and am busy sewing samples for my booth at Quilt Market in Salt Lake City, this May. 

My first project was a zippered tote bag, and no I haven't written a pattern for it.  Yet ;)

And my second project was a cushion cover that I absolutely love.

This cushion was inspired by Debbie of Happy Little Cottage, who made a beautiful runner last year after she saw a pic of an old vintage quilt.  I looked and looked online for the name of this block and maybe you can help me(?), but I've guessed that it must be a variation on the Old Maid's Puzzle block, but set on-point.  So many people have already asked me on Instagram for a pattern, I said that I would make a simple one-sheet and here it is.  Download the PDF here.  It looks like this:

I hope this little one-sheet helps.  And I really hope you fall in love with Playground like I have.  This is just an introduction, there will be so much more to share as time goes by! :)

xo amy

Tiny Toffee Designs | Dream Big

Two things get me every time: charming + little!  

Susi, of Tiny Toffee Designs, does both of these so well.  I love her foundation paper piecing patterns (see them all at her etsy shop) and I'm here to help celebrate the latest set "Dream Big" in its very own blog hop.

If you've never sewn using the foundation paper piecing method, I should probably mention that when I stitched the Gliding Swan, above, it was only my second time.  The wonderful Elnora Chambers gave me a lesson in paper piecing over a year ago ~ and that was the first time.  So, if you're familiar with this pattern, you'll see I made a mistake ~ but I saved it and I love this swan (mistake and all)!  I framed it in linen and turned it into a mini folio.  Inside there is a full length pocket and I haven't made the divisions yet because I'm not precisely sure what else I'll be keeping in it besides my notebook.

But I seriously loved making this charming little project!  ;)

I loved it so much I made three more hexies from the "Dream Big" set.  

A little appliqué, embroidery, a metal zip, and Art Gallery Fabric's new linen/cotton blend helped me to create my new favorite zip pouch.  Seriously, these little projects are the best.  Thank you, Susi, for creating such adorable patterns!  Check out the schedule for the rest of the blog hop here, and be sure to visit Mary and Kate who are also sharing projects today!

xo amy 

The Splendid Sampler | Snug As A Bug

By now I'm sure you know... Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson are running the biggest star-studded quilt-along ever and it's called The Splendid Sampler.

{ Block No. 1 by Pat Sloan and Block No. 2 by Jane Davidson }

They invited 82 friends to help design -- There are 100 blocks -- Two block patterns are released each week -- They're all free until next year (Feb 2017) when they'll be put together in a book -- And the coolest part?  Pat and Jane asked me to join the design team and today's my day to show you my block!

It's hard to see in this pic, but little Mia is snuggled beneath four quilts here.  It was just that kind of morning and I'm so happy to have so many quilts in every room throughout the house.  All are completely different, but all made with love of course.  Because quilts are.  "Handmade" takes so much more effort than a quick trip to Target but it provides a timeless ritual of love, mathematical equation, and color masterminding ~ it's a soothing busy-ness and all-around chicken soup for the soul.  But you know that ;)  I took this pic weeks after I designed my block and turned it in, but I thought it was so cool how Mia resembled the child I'd drawn in Snug As A Bug.

Such a sweet and simple embroidery block, right?  Use the back-stitch, stem-stitch, or whatever you like.  I made the design very simple on purpose.  Besides my love for unfussy embroidery, I think it's a block that anyone can stitch, even those who have never embroidered before.  Using six-strand embroidery floss, I used one strand of floss for the finer details and four strands for the rest ~ although I went back in, adding stitches, to vary the width of my lines.

{ Use your hand to cover one bunny at a time to see the difference best. } 

In the above sample, I've used my new favorite 12 wt. Aurifil.  I embroidered a single stitch line on the left, and on the right side I went back in and thickened the curved lines with extra side-by-side stitches.  Both bunnies are cute, but there is a subtle difference and sometimes I prefer the more dynamic look.  Another embroidery tip: never work with more than an 18" length of floss (to avoid knots and mayhem) and try out these Tulip Embroidery Sharps: thin assortment and thick assortment.  I really like these needles!

I have tried a lot of different brands, but I find myself reaching for these gold-tipped needles first.  Whatever you choose, I encourage you to have fun with this pattern and enjoy making it "your own".  (I love seeing what people are doing with the "quilt".)  Happy stitching!

See you along The Splendid Sampler!

xo amy