Coffee Break

Right now I would normally be making a cup of tea, especially on account of the several inches of snow and -16C (3F) temperatures outside my window.  (I won't depress the rest of the world with a picture.)  But I ran out of my favoured Irish Breakfast so instead I thought I'd say hello and show you a little peak of a little something I've been working on.

First, last night I traced this cute little embroidery design I got last year at Quilt Market (and never got around to making). 

I need something for the plane and the just-in-case "nothing else to do" moments I might have. 

Besides, Natalie has designed "Folktale" featuring these cute hedgehogs

and I'm hoping to snag a FQ bundle.

Also.

I've had these scraps ...

on my sewing table since I made this quilt ...

for the Lecien Quilt Market booth last May.  (Pattern available here.)

So you know how I like to make little things, right?  Well ...

It's almost done.  I'll show you the finished project tomorrow.

Thanks for the break.  Back to work.

Still Here ...

(Sheepishly)  Sorry.  I'm still alive.  And well.  Just very busy.  Thanks for checking up on me, though.

I know you're used to me being here at least a few times a week and usually more.  Believe me, I'd be saying hello every day if I could.  But the reality of having a pattern business has finally hit me. 

First, I'm getting ready for Quilt Market next week.  Along with a book signing (still haven't been shopping for a nice new outfit), my publisher - C&T Publishing - has kindly asked me to do an embroidery demo in their booth.  So I'm prepping for that. 

But most of my time has been spent coming up with new patterns for you.  So even though I've been sewing and stitching like a madwoman here, I can't really show you much.  Most of my patterns are still in the "prototype" stage ... close, but not good enough.  Or I still have testing and stuff to do.  I hope I will find some yummy new fabric at Quilt Market to translate my ideas into fresh designs.

But speaking of yummy new fabric, I found this at a local quilt shop last week.

To.die.for.pretty.

It's a cotton linen blend.  (I think.)  Definitly linen-esque.  By Yuwa.

I have no idea what I'm going to make with it.

But since when is logic and reason necessary when deciding on a fabric purchase?

Uh, like never. ;)

Have a great weekend. 

UPDATE:  Sorry, I just did some googling to find a source for you but this is the best I could do ... same print, different colors.  Still totally pretty.  I bought mine here.

UPDATE 2:  HOLD THE PHONE!  I found it here.  Also comes in an even pinker version. 

Ear Candy (My Random Act of Kindness for Today)

My Dad had a lot of James Bond vinyl in his record collection and I inherited his love of the soundtracks.  You will find a double CD James Bond theme compilation in my own collection. 

I also love the James Bond movies, even though I'm more of a Pride & Prejudice / Princess Bride / The Notebook kind of girl.  You know, period costumes and happy endings.  (Even though I always end up doing the ugly cry at the end of the Notebook ... )

So when I heard this latest James Bond theme by Adele yesterday ... well ... have a listen.  It's pretty awesome.  And I'm not the only one who thinks so because it's been viewed over 22 million times in less than a week.

This isn't a video, just colored smoke & lyrics.

I wonder how many times I'm going to hit repeat today.  A good guess would be about 37 kajillion.  Maybe more.

Oh wait.  I forgot.  I finally rented Downton Abbey from the library yesterday.  And I have a ton of hand sewing on my to do list for today.  Nuts.  Might only listen to it 36 kajillion times. ;)

Double nuts.  I'm home alone.  I gotta figure out how to work the DVD player all by myself. 

How Does Quilting Make Me Feel?

That's the question I tried to answer over at Stash Books blog today. Click here to read my response.

It wasn't easy, but I tried. 

I think I had more fun taking these pictures. ;)

So tell me ...

how does quilting make YOU feel?

Smells Like What?

Last night after my daughter had a bath and was all clean & cozy in her white terry robe I gave her a hug & kiss.  Freshly bathed child is my most favoritest scent ever ... yes, even better than freshly baked bread.  I told her she smelled soooo good.  She said she smelled like coconuts (new conditioner). 

But I heard "polkadots"!

Ten minutes of hysterical laughter ensued.  Then we tried to decide what polkadots smell like.

We're not really sure.  But according to my fabric stash, polkadots smell an awful lot like pink. ;)

I Wonder ...

if I will ever stop running over pins with my sewing machine.  Even after countless broken needles and pins ... and a bad accident which required an emergency (& expensive) trip to the repair man a few years ago, I still keep stitching right over them.

Hope you have a great weekend!  The weatherman is talking about snow next week here in my neck of the woods ... guess it's time to stock up on hot chocolate and mini marshmallows ... (just looking for a silver lining here ...). ;)

My Victorian Strawberries Scissor Keep

There was a special reason I used this pretty strawberry fabric for my biographical embroidery/quilt project.

(By the way, a few of you asked about this fabric - it's Lecien's Old/New 30's collection from last year.  It's hard to find, but this Japanese fabric is similar and equally adorable.)

I didn't choose it just because it's pretty and it suited the quilt. 

The main reason is this ...

... a scissor keep I made for myself 12 years ago.

The kit was a gift from one of my oldest and dearest friends who thought of me when she saw it while on a British holiday.  She found it in the gift shop of a castle.

Now, I wouldn't call myself a royal watcher or anything, but I do enjoy British history ... especially when it's spoon fed to me in the form of terrific movies like this one.  And I've only ever been across the pond once - 10 memorable days in London, England (in 1994).  Plus I can boast British lineage (surnames such as Ferguson and Bowes are found in my family tree).  So I was particularly attracted to the story behind this pretty design.

I want to visit the Museum of London ...

just to see the slippers for myself.

Someday.

It's on my bucket list.

PS:  I learned how to make tassels from my macrame days in 8th Grade with Miss Moody ... the scariest teacher ever ... think Robert De Niro at his most intimidating - but as a very short woman with horn-rimmed glasses, no makeup and the most sensible haircut one could have without being in the army.  And she always made a point of bringing her prized Doberman Pinchers to school during the first week to set the tone in her classroom.  Like that kind of scary ... the kind of scary that made even the worst kids keep silent as church mice when she left the room for 10 minutes to soothe her nicotine craving. 

But I digress (again).  My point is that Miss Moody taught me how to macrame and it was - hands down - my favorite school option of all time!  I made some impressive plant hangers back in the day and finishing them off with a tassel was the best part.

PPS:  Please notice how I'm already making good use of my recent Ikea score ...

I'm usually not very good at this sort of thing so I'm feeling particularly smug today. ;)

Hello, my name is ...

With the recent launch of my pattern shop and impending book release, I've had a few raised eyebrows about my last name and how to pronounce it.  Believe me, I tried really hard to convince my husband to take MY last name.  But my grandfather was Albanian and my maiden name was only slightly less ... er ... problematic ... for (most) North Americans.  So for those of you who are curious I'm re-publishing my first blog post from Feburary 14th, 2011 where I address the matter of how to say my name without hurting yourself.

                    *               *               *               *               *

Before your head explodes, here's how you pronounce it:

... kinda sorta.  At least that's how I say it. 

Lemme 'splain.

First Name – no, I didn’t go through a rebellious phase where I had my name legally changed just to be obnoxious.  It’s always been this way.  (Even Margaret Atwood questioned me about that at a book signing in 1993.)

For years I wished I had a name that people would automatically know how to spell - like Jane or Barb or Lisa. 

I’d say “Kristyne with a K” but they’d have CH written before I got to “with a K”.  So they’d change the C to a K, making my name start Kh.

And then it went down hill from there. 

Over the years I learned to just start spelling. To all erasers out there, “You’re welcome.”

Last Name – (can I buy a vowel please, Pat Sajak?)  I love my husband.  Very much.  He’s from Poland.  I’m not.  He can say our last name properly.  I can’t.  Even after 16 years of marriage.  And I'm fully aware that when I do try to pronounce it correctly, I look like a baboon doing kegels while lip-syncing to the Beatles "Hey Jude".

So I don’t. 

And you probably shouldn't either. 

Unless you're Slavic.  Or a linguist.

Just call me Christine ...

with a K. 

I'm good with that.

"Your Honour, I Plead Temporary Insanity."

Ok.   I swear I do NOT know how this happened. 

Last week I went to Ikea for a few storage boxes,

but then totally by accident also walked out with a pink kitchen.

It was not premeditated. 

But I mean come ON!  How in the world is someone like me supposed to resist all this stuff?!

Tea towels with cross stitch & ribbon embellishments ...

And this pretty napkin holder with pink & rose napkins to go with ...

And this adorable pink gingham/rose tray ... a totally practical and "every day use" sort of thing ... (not).

And even a few (four is considered "a few", isn't it?) lovely little plant pots ...

WITH plants!  Faux, of course - 'cause I shouldn't be allowed to own real ones. 

Lucky for me horticulture isn't a prerequisite for parenthood.  If it was I'd be on the "dangerous offender" list ... with a tracking device strapped to my ankle ... and "must not come within 50 feet" on my list of probation conditions.

Sorry.  I digress.  My plant-neglecting ways are totally off topic.

Anyhow.  It was all just so ... irresistable.  I couldn't help myself.  You can't possibly blame me, can you?  In my defense, there were even more items from this collection I didn't bring home ... like aprons, tins, pot holders, larger planters. 

Come to think of it, I believe I showed remarkable restraint ... which kinda destroys my temporary insanity plea. ;)

A Winner & a Knitter

Congratulations to Audrey B - the lucky winner of the book "Little Stitches"!  Thanks again to C&T Publishing for sponsoring this giveaway.

And thank you so much to all of you for sharing your favorite winter crafting activity.  I'm surprised how many of you are knitters!  Wowzers!  I knit a dishcloth ... once ... but only because it was for a Brownie badge.  And I don't know why but I hated every.single.stitch.  And I never recovered from that trauma. 

But that was  ... hmm ... more than 35 years ago.  I suppose a mature person would give it another chance.  I do love fairisle sweaters.  And being able to knit a lacy scarf/shawl is also very appealing to me.  Not to mention the adorable socks all over blogland.  I'd especially love to learn how to knit mittens. 

Confession:  I've never bought myself a pair of mittens.  My mom's been knitting me a new pair every 4 or 5 years since ... forever.  I remember being embarrassed when I was a kid because I was the only one at school with homemade mittens.  And I hated how the snow would stick - NOT good snowball fighting equipment.  I think that's also why emotionally I'm not on good terms with variegated yarn.  Sorry.

But in high school, my mom found a beautiful periwinkle yarn with little flecks of pretty pinks & greens & yellows & blues.  I loved those mittens.  She repaired the worn thumbs and finger pads until they were beyond salvation.

I still put in a order every few years or so and my mom is happy to oblige - even though she still always somehow manages to make the thumbs too long or the cuffs too short.  But I love them.  'Cause my mom made them.  Just for me.

She's also made lots of cute things for my girls when they were really little - hats,

mitts,

ponchos,

doll clothes,

Barbie clothes,

And they are always welcomed with squeals and giggles and hugs of gratitude.

But my all time favorite thing she knit is a circular baby blanket made with the softest yarn. 

She made it when my sister was born, but it didn't get used much.  I think I inherited it because my daughters are my mom's only grandchildren.  I use it a lot in the winter when I'm curled up in front of the tv.  It is so soft, light-weight and warm.  I never get too hot underneath it.  Love it.

But it seems everytime my mom comes for a visit this poor little blanket needs repairing.  She mended a run the last time she was here.

And now?

I hope she comes again soon 'cause there is definitely that old familiar chill in the air!

Or I suppose I could finally learn to knit myself.  Hmmm.  I'll have to think about that.  'Cause after all your comments about how much y'all love to knit in the winter, I suddenly feel like something is missing in my life!  LOL!

Fun Friday Giveaway!

Here she is ... my sort of self-portrait. 

I love it.  It's happy, fun, bright, pretty, a perfect combination of embroidery, patchwork, hand quilting ... ad libbing.  Fun fun fun. 

But I have a question for you.  Do you do this too - buy pretty little things like a jar of white buttons ...

yards of lace ...

and novelty trim ...

just because you like them?   And then you put them somewhere in your sewing space, either as decoration or in a drawer or box?  And then never use them?

I do ... or rather did.  But blogland has inspired me to new heights and made me realize that I'm tired of buying pretty things and then never using them.  So I turned over a new leaf with this quilt and broke out of that rut!

I discovered the tape trim fit perfectly on top of the lace so I added it to a few squares.  I fussy cut 1-2 because it is 2012.

And then 4-5 because maybe that's how old I am ... maybe. ;)

Here are my pretty buttons ...

That's right.

I went all crazy and sacrificed EIGHT of 'em!  LOL!

I had a few fabric squares left over and I didn't want to waste them. But I already had the main part of this quilt and the first border added. 

So I stitched up the teacup, pieced it together with the leftovers and added the afterthought panel to the bottom! 

And then I thought it would look pretty if I added a run of lace.

I'm not usually a red girl but this quilt was begging for red binding.

Perfect, right?

This project started with me wanting to embroider some designs from "Little Stitches".  I had no idea it was going to look like this.  Funny what happens when you let yourself play.

And you know, Aneela's book has so many designs you could easily do something similiar to what I did with different themes - children at play (girl &/or boy), Christmas, domesticity, crafting, transportation, animals, flora, seasons, toys, pets ...

Thanks Aneela, couldn't have done this without you!

Now without further ado, I have a "Little" giveaway today. 

C&T Publishing is kindly offering one of you a copy of "Little Stitches", the book that inspired my project.  If the winner is a US resident, you will receive a hard copy.  If the winner is NOT a US resident, you'll be sent an eBook.

To enter this giveaway, leave me a comment with your favorite winter crafting activity.  Comments will close Sunday, September 23 at 9:00 pm PST and I'll announce the winner Monday morning.

Good luck everyone! 

And have a great weekend too.

PS:  And also happy first day of Autumn!

On the Home Stretch

My embroidery "self portrait" is taking shape nicely.

Remember the 8 embroidery designs I chose from Aneela's book?

Well, there was a late entry - this sweet little cup of tea.  It's Irish Breakfast with a little milk & sugar, in case you were wondering.

It even has a little sprig of holly on it  ... which I love with all my heart (it's possible my daughter shares her name with this traditional Christmas flora).

The finished objet d'art is little so I decided to hand quilt it ...

... never mind that my finger now looks like hamburger meat. ;)

Three borders ...

I added a few pretty little accoutrements as well ... you know ... like when you're cooking without a recipe ... and you look thru the kitchen for stuff to throw into the pot.  Well I was looking thru all my pretty notions & trims & things that I bought "just because" and then never knew what to do with them.  Like this faux tape measure trim.  So cute.  (Believe me when I tell you I'm MUCH better at sewing without a pattern than cooking without a recipe!  LOL!) 

I'll show more during the big reveal.  'Cause that's how it works around here.

But to reward you for tolerating my teasing, there just might be a giveaway involved with the big reveal.

Fridays are a good day to have a giveaway, right? ;)

Baby Got Back

Tee hee - just channeling my early 90s rapper vixen there with a little Sir Mix-a-Lot ... which is totally ironic because I don't really like rap music.  There was even a time when I thought that song was totally offensive.  But it seems I've mellowed with age because now it just "cracks" me up!  (Sorry, I'm genetically punny.)

No, today I'm not talking about the junk in my trunk ... I'm talking about background fabric - specifically what I use for embroidery.

For example, remember my Daisychain Sampler? 

I used a very subtle print as the background for my stitches.  Not loud enough to detract from my hours and hours of embroidering, but just enough to ... you know ... smile quietly at you.

I am using this fun trick for my "Little Stitches" project too.

All different colors, styles, personalities ... all subtle ... but all add a little extra something to the individual blocks as well as the overall design.

Told ya I got back. ;)

Let's Get Together!

Awh you guys, thank you from the bottom of my heart for being just so terrific and supportive about my book announcement.  I've had a perma-grin for two days reading all your lovely comments!

And the good news just keeps on coming.  You see, blogging is really fun for me.  But what I love even more is face time with people who share the same interest and passion as me  ... which is why I'm really excited about next week.  I've been invited to be a guest speaker at Rumpled Quilt Skins, a charming quilt shop in Okotoks, Alberta.

The shop - happily situated in an historic building - has a monthly social event called the "Upstairs Parlour Show" and I'll be there on Thursday, September 20th from 6:30 - 8:30 with my trunk show and a few more things I've made that I think you might enjoy seeing - like perhaps the original quilts I made that weren't supposed to become a book, but now are ... ;)

But it won't be just me nattering on and on for 2 hours straight.  The Upstairs Parlour Show is also an opportunity for you to bring your own work to share and to be inspired by your fellow stitchers.  I would love to see what you've been up to!

So if you live in the area (or are independently wealthy with a private jet and nothing else to do), please mark the day on your calender.  It's an informal, friendly & fun little get together.  Plus I'll likely have a slight case of nerves so I'd appreciate the moral support.

You don't need to register or anything, just show up.

Hope to see you there!

S is for Stitch

Ok. (deep breath)

I have something to tell you.  I've rewritten this announcement a bazillion times and there is no other way to say it except straight up.

I wrote a book.

Well, currently writing is more accurate.

Hmmm, no ... that's not right either.  The actual writing part was done about 9 months ago.  Now I'm at the final editing stage.

It's an embroidery book called "S is for Stitch - 52 Embroidered Alphabet Designs + Charming Projects for Little Ones". 

I was going for a gentle, timeless sort of feel while I dreamed up the two alphabet-themed sets of little embroidery designs - one for a girl and one for a boy - and made them into two different quilts. 

Wanna know how big those designs are?  Each stitched object you see on the cover photo above is no bigger than 1.5".

To help you have even more fun with my stitchery designs, I give lots of ideas on how to make framed art for the nursery, apply the designs to premades (clothing, linens, etc.) and other cute stuff for kids.

All the stitches in the book are considered basic - nothing complicated.  But I spent hours and hours making every design interesting to stitch.  And pretty to look at.  And - most importantly - appealing for children.  My daughters, who were 7 & 9 at the time, served as my most excellent creative consultants.  If I was stuck for an idea, they helped me out.  If they didn't like something about a design, I changed it.

Truth be told, this book started out as not even a book, but simply as a way for me to pass the time while on a long holiday with my family a few years ago.  I couldn't bring my sewing machine along, so I took all my embroidery supplies with me instead.  I had absolutely zero design ideas while packing.  No big plan.  No grand ambition.  Not even a blog.  I just knew I would go banana nuts crazy if I couldn't keep my hands busy.

I came up with the girl alphabet collection and was simply going to make up a quilt for my girls to play with.  But then something kept telling me to make a boy companion quilt.  So I did.  It was more of a personal challenge than anything else.

And now C&T Publishing is making my "just for fun" creations into an amazing Stash Book.  (My hands feel all woozy as I type this.)

Even though it's still another 3 months until it comes out in December/January, Amazon already has it available for preorder ... (yes, I will be selling signed copies in my shop!) ... and word is spreading and ... well ... it just seems wrong to not say something about it.

Out loud. 

Here. 

To you.

So I am.

I feel like I've been pregnant with this book for a very long time.  And I still have a few more months of waddling to go.  But when the labour pains are over and the book is finally delivered, I promise I will share more about it with you. 

Until then ...

Eeeeeeeeep! :)

PS:  If you're going to be at Quilt Market next month in Houston, C&T Publishing has organized a book signing for me on Sunday 28th at noon.  Please come by and say "hi".  I'd really love to meet you!

A Little Tour of my Little Stitches

So.  My inspiration.  I talked about that yesterday.  But today I want to explain how I managed to narrow down the 100+ designs in Aneela Hoey's book to just 8.  Not an easy task!

I was looking thru all the ones I really loved and realized I was drawn to the designs that had some personal connection with me. 

Oh, and I should also mention I wanted all my embroidered blocks to finish at 2" so I adjusted some of the images with a photocopy machine to get the right size.

Notions

Tools of my trade.  And plus I'm a notions-a-holic.  I remember buying my first pretty plastic wheel of colorful glass headed pins.  I felt like such a grown-up!  I'd take all the pins out and rearrange them in many different orders.  I loved how small they were, how smooth they felt, how they glided so nicely in and out of the case.  Yep.  I love me some goooood notions all right!

Retro Sunglasses

I've had reading glasses since I was 15 and progressives (trifocals) since I was 30.  But I decided to stitch up my version of these glasses with hot pink thread.   Because some day I'm gonna rock the hell out of a pair of hot pink eyeglasses. 

One day I will be brave enough ... one day. 

Lily-of-the-Valley

I love this flower.  It is one of my all-time favorites, both for it's delicate structure and tiny bells. 

And fragrance.   Oops, that's three reasons. 

Cherry

Cherry season just ended while I was working on this project.  And my husband stops at the farmer's market Friday afternoons so we've been gorging ourselves on bings and raniers these past several weekends.  (spit - burp - yum - repeat ...)

Nine Patch Sampler

Another obvious quilt reference. Which I totally adore with every fibre of my being.

Empire State Building

I was on the fence about this one.  It's taller than the other designs.  And it's ... well ... it's not ... you know ... "girly pretty".  At least that was my knee-jerk reaction.  Until it occurred to me that it was the perfect design to include in my project because I'm a city girl.  I've always lived in a big city.  And I even worked in a few skyscrapers.  (I miss the express elevator rides to the 44th floor.  But I don't miss the stockings.  Or the heels.  Or riding public transit.  Or sharing an office with someone who has terrible gas.)

Funny how the one design I was least attracted to at first has now become my FAVORITE of all the ones I've made.

Another funny - my husband came home late when I was stitching this up so I sat at the kitchen table working on it while he ate his dinner.  I usually have to present my work to him and say, "Look Honey!  See?  See what I made today?" (and he always very wisely tells me it's "really nice").  But I wasn't even finished this one and he unsolicitedly ... or should that be "without solicitation"? ... whatever ... commented how cool he thought my building was!  :)

Dragonfly & Scissors

These two patterns are among several additional designs that are included in the back of the book but not photographed.

The scissors are again an obvious choice.  (Which reminds me, mine have had a dull spot for like 15 years now ... prob'ly should go get them sharpened.)

But the dragonfly?  Omg, in't he just sooo cuuute?!  I ad libbed the stripes.  And I love his big little bug eyes.

I have met so many wonderful people through my blog.  One really sweet girl started reading my blog and leaving me comments under the alias "Little Blue Dragonfly".  We're friends now.  We even got to meet in person.  So this little guy is both a special hello to her (hi L!), and to remind me of the special connections I've made in this amazing, creative online community.

Inspiration

Inspiration is a strange creature.  You never know where or when or how it is going to reveal itself to you.

While contemplating the designs and projects in Little Stitches, I found myself wanting to stitch up several little motifs. 

But what to do with them all?  No clue.

Until I was flipping through the book for like the bazillionth time and I stopped on this page ...

...again.  It was already tabbed, just because I liked the look of it.

And then my pretty plan started to take shape  ...

as I cut up a bunch of 1.5" and 2.5" squares.

And how did I handle my embroidery emergency last week? 

I'm usually pretty good in a crafting crisis.

Hello Weekend!

I hope your weekend ...

looks as promising as mine! :)

Have a great one!

Little Stitches

In case you didn't know, I like little.  As in making little things.  I really prefer working with little pieces of fabric with little prints and making little blocks and little designs. 

And in case you didn't know, I also like stitching ... as in embroidery. 

So it should be no surprise that I had this book, "Little Stitches" by my friend Aneela Hoey on pre-order for months before it was available. 

My copy FINALLY came in the mail a few weeks ago and I've been thumbing thru it pretty much every day since, tabbing all the pages with my favorite designs.  As you can see, I have found SEVERAL little cuties in this book.  Not hard to do when you have over 100 designs to pick from!

And remember my new pile of medicinal fabric?

Honestly I had no idea what I was going to do with it ... until I accidentally laid my new book down on my sewing table beside these fabrics. 

Then all hell broke loose.

In a good way. 

In an itchin' to be stitchin' sort of way.

In a "Kids, go get the takeout menus ... mama can't cook tonite on account of an embroidering emergency!" sorta way.

(Have I ever mentioned how much I prefer these types of emergencies over the ones that involve the Children's Hospital or the Poison Control Hotline?  Although, come to think of it, I have gotten hours of embroidery done while AT the Children's Hospital with my kids ... gotta love multi-tasking!)

Drug of Choice

So here's my latest supply of "prescription" fabric ...

Lecien's newest Flower Sugar collection.

You see, the grass is going to be brown and the trees bare in no time around these here parts, now that September just showed up.  (sigh)  So I needed a new batch of happy bright fabric to help me stave off the impending cold & dark winter blues. 

Speaking of the blues, however, I really like THESE ones ... A LOT!

(Shh, please don't tell pink!  I don't want to hurt her feelings, kay?)

Oh dear, now I'm personifying my fabric.  One can only hope the cure for that is chocolate covered cheesecake!